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/. Dennis^ JrJs Patent Improved Method of 
Preventing Canker Wor^ns, or other In^ 
sects, from ascending Fruit or other Trees. 

This invention consists of a cirr.ular 
metallic trough, and roof, made of one 
piece of metal, and sfenerally made of 
lead, and bent so as to conform to the 
shape of the tree^ and the ends soldered 
together, so as to make a trough com plete- 
ly round the tree, with a roof over it, and 
made so large as to leave an inch between 
the trough and the tree, which will allow 
the tree to grow five or ten years : the 
space between the trough and the tree is 
filled with hay, straw, liusks, tow, cotton 
waste, sea weed, or any substance that is 
easily compressed by the growth of the 
tree. These troughs should have a very 
little right whale oil, that costs about forty 
cents per gallon, put into them three times 
a year ; five gallons of oil was found suf- 
ficient for one bundled and fifteen trees 
for a year, and some of the trees were 
very large, and it kept the worms down 
so completely, that it was difficult to find 
one upon the trees. This trough is put 
on at a small expense, and a very small 
crop of apples will pay the expense of 
putting them on : and they 'will last many 
years without being made larger, and when the tre§ has grown so as 
to fill the space that is left, the trough ca/i be cut open and a piece 
put in, so as to make it large enough for several years more, and 
when the lead is taken off, it will be worth two-thirds as much asit 
was when it was put on ; the expense for fittingit around trees that 
are one foot through is about fifty or sixty cents. 

Any person wishing to purchase for a single orchard, or State, 
County, or Town Rights, will please to address, post paid, 

JONATHAN DENNIS, Jr., 

Portsmouth, Rhode Island. 




The SuBSCaiBER, having had long experience in planning, 
building, and operating machinery ;^-also, in drawing plans for 
buildings, and for placing machinery in buildings, oflers his services 
to those about to commence the manufacture of silk, either to furnish 
them with machinery, or plans for machinery, plans fcr the arrange- 
ment of machinery in the buildings, &c. <&c. Those wishing to avail 
themselves of his sei-vices, will please to address, post paid. 

JONATHAN DENNIS, Jr., 

POETSMOUTH, RhODE IsLAND. 



DENNIS' SILK MANUAL: 

CONTAINING 

COMPLETE DIRECTIONS 

FOR 

CULTIVATING THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF MULBERRY TREES, 

FEEDING SILK WORMS, 

AND MANUFACTURING SILK TO PROFIT, 

ADAPTED TO THE 

"WANTS OF THE AMERICAN CULTIVATOR, 

AND BELIEVED TO CONTAIN MORE PRACTICAL INFORMATION 
THAN ANY SIMILAR WORK NOW BEFORE THE PUBLIC. 

WITH 

A SUPPLEMENT OF EXTRACTS, FROM VARIOUS AUTHORS, 

IN RELATION TO 

THE PROFIT OF RAISING SII.K. 



BY JONATHAN DENNIS, JR., 

, OF PORTSMOUTH, R. I., 

An expeiienced Silk Grower, and Inventor of the Patent Premium SiJk Spinner and 
Twister, and the Patent Contra Twist Silk Reel. 



w 



IN THREE PARTS. 



PART FIRST.— Directions for raising the various kinds of Mulberry Trees. . 

.Part .second.— Directions for hatching and feeding Silk Worrtis, and fbr 
preserving the Eggs and Cocqons. 

PART THIRD.— Diroctions for winding the silk from the Cocoons, and ma- 
nufacturing Sewing Silk ; accompanied with Cuts of the most approved Silk 
Machinos. 

A SUPPLEMENT of Extracts from various Authors in relation tojhe Pcofit 
of raising Silk. ~ - ~ 

lS7l 



NE w - Y o rk: 

PRESS OF MAHLON DAY & CO. 

No. 374 P E A RL-S TREET, 

AND FOR SALE AT THE BOOK AND SEED STORES IN NEW-YORK, AND 

THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES GENERALLY. 



James Egbert, Printer. 
1839, 



r 




Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1839, 
BY JONATHAN DENNIS, Jr., 

In the Clerk'* Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New-York. 



3 b ^-i 



Section Fourteenth of the Patent Laivs. 

And be it further enacted, That whenever, in any action for 
damag-es for making-, using, or selling' the thing- whereof the 
exclusive right is secured by any patent heretofore granted, or 
by any patent which may hereafter be granted, a verdict shall 
be rendered for the plaintiff in such action, it shall be in the 
power of the court to render judgment for any sum above the 
amount found by such verdict as the actual damages sustained 
by the plaintiff, not exceeding three times the amount thereof, 
according to the circumstances of the case, wnth costs ; and such 
damages may be recovered by action on the case, in any court 
of competent jurisdiction, to be brought in the name or names 
of the person or persons interested, whether as patentee, as- 
signees, or as grantees of the exclusive right within and through- 
out a specified part of the United States.'' 



TWENTY-TWO REASONS, 

"WHY THE FARMERS IN THE UNITED STATES SHOULD 
RAISE MULBERRY TREES AND SILK. 



1st. Because it is a very certain crop. 

2(3. Because silk is as easy raised as wheat, and much 
less laborious. 

3d. Because raw silk or cocoons will command cash 
in the market, and at a handsome profit to the producer. 

4th. Because a pound of silk can be raised to a much 
greater profit than a pound of wool. 

5th. Because three pounds of silk can be produced 
from the same land that would produce one pound of 
wool. 

6th. Because one pound of raw silk will sell for six 
dollars, and one pound of wool for fifty cents. 

7th. Because the labor of raising silk is performed in 
six weeks, while the labor of taking care of sheep, and 
providing them with food lasts all the year. 

8th. Because the labor may be performed by children 
or feeble persons, whose services would be worth but 
very little for any other purpose. 

9th. Because there can be considerable quantities 
raised, without materially diminishing the other products 
of the farm. 

10th. Becfause the climate and soil is as well, if not 
better, adapted to the growth of the mulberry, and the 
production of silk, than any part of Europe. 

11th. Because there is no probability, and scarcely a 
possibility, of the business being overdone. 

12th. Because mulberry trees are easier raised than 
almost any other tree. 

13th. Because the timber of the mulberry tree is worth 
1* 



8 

as much as locust, for building ships, fences, or any other 
purpose. 

14th. Because large mulberry trees injure the crop 
growing under them, less than almost any other tree. 

15th. Because mulberry leaves, when green, are 
greedily eaten by cattle, sheep, and hogs ; when cured 
like grass, to make hay, are an excellent food for cattle 
and sheep. 

16th. Because land cultivated with mulberry trees, 
and the litter from the worms spread upon it, would be 
impoverished less than if cultivated with almost any 
other crop. 

17th. Because it will cost no more to transport a 
pound of silk to market, that will sell for six dollars, 
than it would to transport a pound of bread stuff, that 
would sell for six cents. 

18th. Because the small sum of five dollars, or even 
one, expended in purchasing mulberry seed and cuttings, 
with a little care in cultivation for a few years, will en- 
able a farmer to produce considerable quantities of silk. 

19th. Because the eggs can be kept in an ice-house 
until the middle or last of the Seventh Month, (July,) 
and then the worms can be hatched and fed after the 
busy season of mowing or harvest is over. 

20th. Because a man, with a little land, who has a 
family, can increase his mulberry trees and keep his 
family employed at home, without the risk of sending 
them abroad for employment, where they would be liable 
to have their morals corrupted. 

21st. Because it would relieve the nation from paying 
millions of dollars annually, to other nations for silk. 

22d. Because there are twenty or twenty-five silk 
manufactories already established, several of which 
have been stopped, waiting for the arrival of importa- 
tions of raw silk. 



PREFACE. 

I HAVE been so often solicited by my friends, to write 
some plain, simple directions for raising" mulberry trees, 
feeding- silk worms, and winding silk, that I was induced 
to make an effort which has produced the following 
treatise. I have endeavored to confine myself to plain 
practical directions, that are absolutely necessary to be 
put in practice, in order to insure success. Also, to 
avoid any technical terms that would not be readily un- 
derstood by every practical farmer, for whom this work 
is especially designed. I have had another object in 
view, — that was, to put all the directions necessary to 
be observed, in a small cheap form, that the price may 
be within the ability of any one who may wish to pur- 
chase. Having this object in view, induced me to have 
it printed with a small type, and put up in the cheapest 
manner possible. Also, by making it concise, to save 
my readers the trouble of reading a great deal of super- 
fluous matter, in order to find the directions sought for, 
and thereby save his time ; by having less to read he 
might have more time to practice, which he must neces- 
sarily do, if he reaps the profit. 

J. DENNIS, JR. 

*^* If the present edition meets with a ready sale, it is 
my intention to add Complete Directions for Manufactur- 
ing Silk ; that is, Directions for Winding, Cleaning, 
Spinning, Traming or Doubling,Throwsting or Twisting, 
the Silk, with Remarks upon Weaving, &c. &c. And, 
also, such other information as will be interesting to the 
Silk Manufacturer. J. DENNIS, Jr. 



The Silk lVorm>8 Will. 

BY MISS H. F. GOULD. 

On a plain rush hurdle a silk worm lay, 
When a proud young princess came that way: 
The haughty child of a human king, 
Threw a sidelong glance at the humble thing, 
That took, with a silent gratitude. 
From the mulberry leaf, her simple food ; 
And shrunk, half scorn and half disgust, 
Away from her sister child of dust — 
Declaring she never yet could see 
Why a reptile form like this should be, 
And that she was not made with nerves so firm, 
As calmly to stand by a " crawling worm !" 

With mute forbearance the silk worm took 
The taunting words, and the spurning look ! 
Alike a stranger to self and pride. 
She d no disquiet from aught beside — 
And lived of a meekness and peace possessed. 
Which these debar from the human breast, 
She only wished, for the harsh abuse, 
To find some way to become of use 
To the haughty daugliter of lordly man; 
And thus did she lay a noble plan, 
To teach her wisdom and make it plain, 
That the humble worm was not made in vain; 
A plan so generous, deep and high. 
That to carry it out she must even die ! 

'' No more," said she. "will I drink or eat ! 
I'll spin and weave me a winding sheet, 
To wrap me up from the sun's clear light. 
And hide my form from her wounded sight, 
In secret then till my end draws nigh, 
I'll toil for her; and when I die, 
I'll leave behind, as a farewell boon. 
To the proud young princess, my whole cocoon, 
To be reeled and wove to a shining lace, 
And hung in a veil o'er her scornful face ! 
And when she can calmly draw her breath 
Through the very threads that have caused my death; 
When she finds, at length, she has nerves so firm 
As to wear the shroud of a crawling worm. 
May she bear in mind, that she walks with pride 



CONTENTS. 

Page. 
Twenty-two reasons why the farmers in the Uniled States should 

raise mulberry trees and silk, 7 

PART I. 

Climate of the United States, 11 

Soil of (he United States, 12 

Mulberry Trees, c 12 

Of the different species and varieties of mulberry, 13 

Directions for purchasing mulberry seed, 17 

Of the different kinds of mulberry seed, • 17 

Directions for preserving- mulberry seed, 18 

*• planting mulberry seed, 19 

*' transplanting seedling trees and others, ' 19 

** purchasing mulberry trees of various kinds, 20 

" purchasing multicaulis trees, 21 

" purchasing cuttings 22 

*' preserving multicaulis trees and seedling trees of va- 
rious kinds, through the winter, 22 

" preserving cuttings during the winter... 23 

" planting raulticau'is cuttings, 24 

" planting various kinds of cuttings, 25 

" planting multicaulis trees, 26 

" planting multicaulis roots, 27 

" grafting mulberry trees of any kind, 28 

" inoculating mulberry trees, 29 

" raising trees from suckers, 30 

" packing trees for transportation, 30 

" packing cuttings for transportation, 3] 

PART II. 

Directions for purchajing eggs, 32 

" preserving eggs, 32 

*' building cocooneries, 34 

" preparing feeding shelves, 34 

Space required for silkworms, 35 

Directions for protecting silk worms from their enemies, 36 

" raising successive crops of silk worms, 37 

Substituted feed for silk worms, 37 

Directions for gathering leaves, 38 

" preserving leaves 38 

Remarks upon chopping leaves, — 39 

Directions for hatching the worms 39 

Observations upon the diseases of silk worms, 41 

Directions for feeding worms, 42 

Removing the litter, and remarks upon hurdles, 44 

Directions for preparing the apparjttus for the worms to wind their 

cocoons, 45 

'• gathering the cocoons, 46 

*' selecting cocoons to produce eggs, 47 

" the management of the moths 47 

*' picking the tow or floss from the cocoons, 49 

*' destroying the moths to prevent their coming out of 

the cocoons, 49 

" preserving cocoons, 51 

" measuring cocoons to sell, 51 

Transporting cocoons, 52 



10 



PART III. 

Directions for sorting cocoons 53 

Hints to tliose that raise cocoous, 53 

A description of the properties necessary lor a machine to possess, 

to wind silk from the cocoons to advantage 54 

Directions for reeling or winding silk 56 

" mauul'acturing tow or floss, 57 

" manufacturing the cocoons that aie perforated by 

the moths, and that cannot be wound off 57 

" manufacturing the waste made in winding, or any 

other wastr, 58 

Tne patent spinner and twister, for making sewing silk and twist, 
and to prepare silk for weaving. — Invented by Jonathan Den- 
nis, Jr , Portsmouth, R. 1 , 59 

The patent contra twist silk reel.— Invented by Jonathan Dennis, 

Jr., Portsmouth, R, I., 62 

Directions for cleaning silk, or boiling out the gum, 66 

" stretcliing silk to make it glossy, 67 

" sizingsilk 68 

A few dyes that are cheap, and may be used by any person that 

wishes to color small parcels, 69 

A few short receipts, 73 

Remarks upon adding weight to silk in dyeing, 73 

Concluding observations, recommending the cultivation of the mul- 
berry and the growing of silk, to farmers, proprietors of board - 

ing schools, and town officers, generally, 74 

APPENDIX. 

J. Danforth's letter to the Committee on Silk, American Institute,. 80 

D. V. McLean's letter to the National Silk Convention, ^t3 

Chauncey Stone's letter, 87 

Timothy Smith's letter to the editor of the Yankee Farmer, 89 

A proof of the short time required to realize the profit from plant- 
ing mulberry trees and feeding silkworms, 90 

Silk for domestic purposes, 90 

Harvey Clark's communication, 91 

Interesting fact 9 i 

Bark Silk,' 92 

An error corrected, 93 

Quality of American silk, 93 

White mulberry, 94 

To lurmers, 94 

Remarks on the culture of silk, 96 

Letter from Europe, fay Gen. James Tallmadge, President of the 

American Institute, 98 

An act to encourage the culture of silk in the state of Maine, 101 

An act for the encouragement of the culture of silk in the state of 

Massachusetts, passed 1836, 101 

An act to encourage the culture of silk in the state of New Jersey, 103 
An act to encourage the growth and man>factureof silk in the state 

of Connecticut, passed 1 832, 103 

Act ef Vermont, passed 1835 104 

" Georgia, 105 

" Pennsylvania, 105 

»' Delaware, 106 



PART FIRST. 

jdirections for raising the various kinds of 
mulberry trees. 

CLIMATE OF THE UNITED STATES. 

That the climate of the United States is admirably 
adapted to the production of silk, does not admit of a 
doubt, since millions of silk worms have been raised 
without artificial heat, and the silk obtained from them 
has been acknowledged, by experienced manufacturers 
of Europe, to surpass, in strength and beauty, that of 
"any other country, and to exceed in quantity by nearly 
one-half, from the same number of worms, that obtained 
in Europe : and a further proof that this climate, with- 
out the use of artificial heat, is superior to that of most 
parts of Europe is, that silk worms in America complete 
their labors in thirty-one days, which, in Europe, require 
forty-five, or even forty-seven days : and it is remarked 
by travellers, that there is more clear sunshine in Ame- 
rica, in proportion to the cloudy or damp weather, than 
in Europe : and, it is presumed, there is no person that 
has raised silk worms, who is not aware that their health 
was improved, and growth hastened, by clear weather. 
In addition to this, although further proof seems unne- 
cessary, it may be remarked, that Indian corn, which re- 
quires a warm and rather dry climate, is raised very suc- 
cessfully in all parts of the United States, while every 
attempt to raise it in Europe, except in the southern ex- 
tremities, has failed. The superiority of the Chinese 
silk over the European, (which, with some exceptions, 
is, I believe, generally admitted,) has been attributed to 
the difference of climate in the two countries ; and the 
situation of China, on the border of a vast ocean, and 
the climate of the country, strongly resemble our own. 
In Europe, moreover, expensive buildings are require;d 



12 

to shelter the worms, which are successfully raised, in 
America, in old buildings that are considered useless for 
almost any other purpose. 

SOIL OF THE UNITED STATES. 

The mulberry, like other trees, grows best upon the 
richest soils, and most rapidly upon wet soils ; but when 
the growth is very rapid, the wood does not ripen so 
well, and is more likely to be killed by the winter, than 
those upon dry highlands, where the growth is slow, and 
the wood well ripened ; and the leaves are considered 
better that are grown upon dry land, than those that are 
raised upon very wet, although the leaves from wet land 
may be used to as good advantage as any, if they are 
mixed with an equal or double the quantity of leaves, 
grown upon dry land. It is better, however, to plant 
them upon a rich soil, and if the soil is poor, manure 
it, as the growth will be so much larger, although there 
may be more killed by the winter, than where the growth 
is small. For instance, if a tree grows twelve inches 
in one season, and three inches of the top is killed by 
the winter, there will not be so much remaining as if it 
had grown twenty-four inches, and the winter had killed 
six: in the first instance, there would be but nine, and 
in the last eighteen, inches that has survived the winter ; 
but I do not suppose that a large growth is liable to be 
killed in the same proportion that a small one is. Any 
soil and cultivation that will produce a fair crop of Indian 
corn, will produce a large crop of mulberry leaves, and 
light, sandy soils can be cultivated for mulberry planta- 
tions to greater profit than for almost any thing else. 
If the litter from the silk worms is spread upon the land, 
it will be likely to become rich, faster than if cultivated 
in almost any other way, and land planted with mulberry 
trees, if very rich, will be impoverished less than if cul- 
tivated with any other crop. 

MULBERRY TREES. 

There are several species of the mulberry, as the 
black, white, white Italian, red, paper, Brussa, and 



13 

morus multicaulis, and from some of these there is a 
great number of varieties, which are sold by some cul- 
tivators imder any name that they choose to give them, 
such as Chinese broad leafed, Chinese curled leaf, hybred 
morus multicaulis, Florence, dandola, Morettiana, hybred 
short jointed, morus expansa, rose of Lombardy, Asiatic 
seedling, Alpine, Canton, Tartarean, Perrottet, shining 
leafed. 

The leaves of all the above named species and vari- 
eties will answer to feed silk worms, and it is very desi- 
rable that every cultivator should have as many varieties 
as he can conveniently obtain ; for if he obtain but one 
tree of a kind, or one cutting or scion, and have plenty 
of stocks of the white mulberrv, be can soon have a 
quantity by grafting, or raising them from cuttings. 

Mulberry trees are more profitable for farmers to raise 
than any other kind of tree, except fruit trees, and they 
are raised and cultivated with greater facility than 
almost any other tree. They injure the crop that grows 
beneath them less than almost any other tree, either 
fruit or ornamental. When a farmer has more leaves 
th»in he wishes to use himself, there is generally ah op- 
portunity to dispose of them to his neighbors, and the 
price is half-a-cent per pound, if the purchaser picks 
the leaves himself; or, one cent per pound, if picked by 
the seller. The wood of mulberry trees is excellent for 
fuel, and is as valuable for building ships, fences, or for 
any other purpose, as locust ; as a proof of which, con- 
tractors, who build vessels for the government, have the 
privilege of putting in either mulberry or locust timber. 
The leaves of most kinds of mulberry are eaten very 
greedily by cattle, sheep, and hogs ; the leaves may be 
cured like hay, and fed during winter, when there is a 
scarcity of other provender. 

Of the different Species and Varieties of Jlfulberry. 

The black mulberry \r one. The tree grows twenty. 
five or thirty-five feet high, and produces very good fruit, 
of which birds and fowls are very fond. The leaves a-e 
from three to four inches wide, and, when fed to worms, 
produce very strong, handsome silk, and the worms ar© 



14 

as healthy when fed upon these as upon any other kind. 
The leaves are so much larger than those of the white 
mulberry, that the same quantity may be gathered with 
half or one-third of the labor. It is a very hardy tree, 
capable of enduring- our most severe winters, and is 
raised from the seed, or by cutting and grafting. 

The red mulberry tree grows thirty or thirty-five feet 
high, bears most excellent fruit, and the tree is very 
hardy. The leaves will answer to feed silk worms, and 
should be given to the worms before they are wilted» 
for they are very porous, and wilt in a short time, and 
when wilted it is very difficult for the worm to eat them. 
This kind can be raised from ihe seed and cuttings. 

The paper inulberry tree grows twenty-five or thirty 
feet high, is of a very rapid growth, bears berries that 
are not fit to eat, and is raised from suckers or cuttings. 
The leaves are f.-om three to five inches wide, and very 
rough and porous, but will be eaten by silk worms, if 
given before they are wilted. 

The Brussa mulberry tree is very beautiful. Its leaves 
are six inches wide, of a very bright glossy green, and 
an excellent kind for feeding worms. Every cultivator 
should have some of this kind, as they are very hardy, 
probably the most so of any, and may be raised either 
from seed, or from cuttings or layers ; and they grow 
very fast in rich land. They are very fine ornamental 
trees. The leaves grow very near together upon the 
twigs, are very thick, and of a firm texture, and when 
raised from cuttings, the cuttings should have at least 
three buds. 

The white mulberry, and the different varieties of it^ 
has many names. VVhite, Italian, Florence, and seve- 
ral other names, are given to what are believed, by some 
cultivators, to be varieties of this. It is raised with the 
greatest facility from the seed, and from cuttings and 
layers. The trees grow thirty-five or f )rty feet in height, 
and the fruit is eaten greedily by fowls, birds, and bogs. 
The leaves, in best soils, are seldom four inches wide, 
and in light soils, but few of the leaves grow more than 
two inches wide. This kind makes excellent hedges, 
and the leaves have been used more for feeding worms, 
in the United States, than all the other kinds put to- 



15 

gether — although it appears likely to be superseded by 
some of those kinds with a larger leaf, its leaf being 
smaller than that of any other kind. It may be culti- 
vated to great a<lvantage as an ornamental tree, for 
some are of the opinion, that pastures interspersed with 
these trees, would produce more grass than they would 
without them. 

The Alpine mulberry tree is very much esteemed by 
Whitmarsh, who imported it. The leaves are four or 
five inches wide, and thicker than the leaves of the mul- 
ticaulis, and grow nearer together upon the branches. 
It is raised from layers and cuttings, and is without 
doubt, a good variety for the production of silk, and is 
moreover very hardy. 

The morus expansa produces leaves four inches wide, 
very good for feeding silk worms. The tree is very 
hardy. All that I have seen, appear to have been grafted 
upon the stocks of the white mulberry, and all attempts 
to raise them by cuttings and layers, that have come to 
ray knowledge, have failed. 

The Canton mulberry is said to be hardy, and the 
tree of rapid growth ; the leaf thicker than some other 
kinds. Also, short-jointed. It deserves the attention 
of cultivators. I have a few of this kind that I intend 
to increase by cuttings and layers. 

The Chinese broad-loafed, Chinese curled-leaf, hybred 
morus multicaulis, dandola, Moreitiana, hybred short- 
jointed, rose of Lombardy, Asiatic seedling, Tartarean, 
Perrottet, and shining-leafed mulberries, have been cul- 
tivated but little in this country, and what difference 
there is between them, if any, I have not been able to 
ascertain. They are undoubtedly worthy of the atten- 
tion of silk growers, and are very proper subjects of 
investigation. 

The morus multicaulis possesses ve-ry decided ad- 
vantages over all other kinds of mulberry. It bears the 
largest leaf of any variety, some of which I have seen 
twelve inches wide, and it is said to have grown to fif- 
teen or sixteen inches. They have been knowii to grow 
six feet high, in one season, from cuttings, and from 
layers, seven feet ; and, where the roots have remained 
in the ground during the winter, the tops being cut off 



16 

in the fall, shoots have grown eight feet high in a single 
season, in New England. I have heard of much larger 
growth in the South. I have seen scions that were set 
in stocks of the white mulberry, that grew seven or eight 
feet in a single season. The genuine multicaulis leaf 
may be known by its being much rounded upon the upper 
surface, and when the leaf is pressed flat, it tears open 
the edge in several places, or doubles over, or makes 
folds in the middle. Silk worms will eat this kind 
greedily, and eat very nearly all of the leaf, so that but 
little litter remains. This kind has sold to so great 
profit, that few have been left standing through the- 
winter without protection ; but of those that I have 
left standing in dry land, the ends of the twigs have 
been killed, that were very green, and the entire top of 
a tree that stood in a w'et place w'as killed, but the root 
survived and sent up astonishing shoots, several feet irr 
height. 'I'hey are more hardy when grafted upon the 
stocks of white mulberry, but there is no doubt with 
experienced cultivators, that the roots will live in the 
ground where they grow, if the tops are cut off two or 
three inches above the ground, and covered with a little 
earth. I have seen those that had been managed in this 
way three or four years, and, when I saw them, there 
were numerous thrifty shoots, one of which was seven 
feet high, and several more over six, besides a great 
many smaller ones. With the multicaulis, the silk 
grower can begin to make silk the same season that 
the trees are laid, or the cuttings planted ; and if the 
roots remain in the ground during the winter, the crop 
of leaves will probably be double or treble what they 
were the first year. 

I will here insert the reply received from John Ma- 
comber, an experienced nursery man of Westport,Mass.t 
and his son, upon my enquiring of them how the multi- 
caulis endured the winter, in comparison with other 
trees. They stated that they lost 

37A per cent, of their cherry trees, 

95 do. peach do., 

75 do. quince do., 

50 do. multicaulis do., 

8 do. multicaulis grafted upon 

white mulberry stocks. 



17 

The trees were -all situated alike in rather a gravelly 
soil. 

I think this is conclusive evidence that the multicau- 
lis will endure the winter unprotected in highlands ; for 
tfee winter here spoken of, was that of 1885 — 6, which 
was allowed to be the coldest that had occurred for many 
years. Upon a lot of ground in Portsmouth, R. I., where 
trees grew in 1887, and were dug up and taken in before 
winter, in digging the trees many of thi; roots were 
broken off, an J remained in the ground. The ensuing 
spring the ground was ploughed, and sown with oats, 
■and the oats harrowed in ; and. notwithstanding the 
Toots of the multicaulis trees were disturbed vi'ith the 
plough and harrow, a considerable number of multicau- 
lis trees -came up, and grew among the oats. 

Dirtctions jor 'purchasing JMulbemnj Seed. 

Mulberry seed is generally put up in small paper hags, 
so that the purchaser does not see it, but if there is any 
•opportunity to see it, take a few grains and mash them 
between the thumb nails, and if they appear to be full 
of meat, and the meat fresh and oily, it is likely to be 
good seed ; although, I believe, there is no certain crite- 
Tion whereby to ascertain whether it will grow or not, 
except by planting it. If you want to purchase a cer- 
tain quantity, purchase it of as many different kinds as 
you can, and in as many different places, for you will 
thus be likely to get a greater variety of trees, and pro- 
bably some good varieties ; and I consider it an advan- 
tage to have a variety, for ray experience leads me to 
believe that worms do better fed upon a variety, than 
they do upon any one kind alone. 

Offhe different kinds of Mulberry Seed, 

There is, generally, pitenty of the seed of the com- 
mon white or white Italian, (morus alba,) in the market, 
at a low price, and sometimes what is called Chinese 
mulberry seed, but it will not be likely to produce multi- 
'Caulis trees. It may, however, produce a very valuable 
'tree, with a leaf much larger than the common white 
2* 



18 

mulberry. I raised some from seed, called the Chinese, 
that grew more than three feet high the same season 
that they were planted, and produced leaves six inches 
wide. There is but little of the Brussa mulberry seed 
offered, but it should be purchased when it can be ob- 
tained. The genuine trees of this variety are very 
hardy, and the leaves larger than the common white. 
It is a most beautiful tree. Sometimes there is seed 
offered, called the rose of Lombiirdy, of which I have 
purchased some to plant next season. The three last 
named kinds of seed generally sell for a high price ; a 
small quantity of each is not much to risk, and may 
prove very valuable. The black and red mulberry may 
be raised from the seed, but 1 have never seen any for 
sale. I have never known of any other kinds for sale, 
except some that were called multicaulis, besides those 
above mentioned, except Alpine seed. 

Directions for Preserving JMulberry Seed. 

When the mulberries are ripe enough to shake off 
easily, spread a cloth under the tree and shake thorn up- 
on it, then spread them in the sun to dry. After they 
are quite dry, put them up and preserve them like any 
other seed, and take care that the mice and rats do not 
get to them. If it is desirable to have the seed clean, 
mash the berries within three or four days after they 
are gathered, and then pour in water and stir up the 
whole. If they are not mashed so that the seed sepa- 
rates from the pulp, mash them more, and the seed 
will settle to the bottom, and the pulp that is separated 
from the seed may be poured off witli the water. The 
seed may then be spread upon a board or cloth, to dry, 
in the shade. Some prefer to rub them through a seive, 
to separate the seed from the pulp ; then wash them 
afterwards, to clean the seed from the slime. After the 
seed is dry, it may be put up and preserved like other 
seed. As the mulberries ripen very irregularly, the trees 
should bo shaken every other day, and the morning is 
the best time, before the birds pick off the ripest of 
them. Some are of the opinion, that the vitality of the 
seed is preserved to greater perfection, by mixing it 



19 

with sand after it is dry, and letting it remain until it is 
wanted for planting, but this is not absolutely necessary 
for its preservation. 

Directions for planting JMulberry Seed. 

Select a rich, mellow piece of ground, and have it 
prepared, as it is usually done, for planting beets, car- 
rots, or other vegetables ; and at the season that vege- 
tables are usually planted. It should be furrowed in 
drills, in the same manner, ten or fifteen inches wide. 
The seed should be put in bloodvvarm water, and suffered 
to stand in the sun, or upon the mantle, where there is 
a fire. After it has soaked thirty-six hours pour off the 
water, and add as much dry ashes as will soak up the 
moisture, and shake it to separate the seed so that they 
will not stick together in planting. Then drop the 
seeds, about one inch apart, in the drills above described, 
and cover them about one-third of an inch desp with 
earth. Then walk upon the rows, placing the heel of 
one shoe close to the toe of the other ; or, if you have 
a roller, that will answer, if it is loaded with a weight 
heavy enough to press the earth hard round the seed. 
If the weather becomes very dry it should be watered. 
By soaking the seed it comes up sooner than the weeds, 
and gives the cultivator great advantage in hoeing, and 
it is very essential to the growth of the plants, that they 
should be kept free of weeds. Some prefer planting the 
mulberries as soon as they are gathered ; when that is 
done, the plants must have some covering through the 
winter, or be preserved in the cellar, but it is better to 
plant in the spring. Just before hoeing them the second 
time, strew a little ashes by the side of the rows, and 
it will be likely to promote their growth. 

Directions for transplanting Seedling Trees and 
others. 

When the trees are one year old every other row 
should be taken up, and set out in rows two feet apart, 
the trees being placed six inches apart in the rows ; and 
if there are any that have roots branching out from the 



20 

tap root, two-thirds of the tap root should be cut off; 
and, if there are no branching roots, one-third of the 
tap root should be cut off. The trees may be set out 
very expeditiously by making a furrow with a plough, and 
placing the plants against the upright part of the furrow, 
and putting the earth, turned out by the plough, back 
from \\ hence it v/as taken, pressing it hard round the 
tree. At two years old, every other row should be again 
transplanted from the seed bed, and set in rows four 
feet apart, placing the trees one foot apart in the rows; 
and it would be as well to set those that are taken up at 
one year old, in rows four feet wide, and raise some 
kind of vegetables between the rows for one year. 
Trees that are raised from the seed, when taken from 
the seed bed, should always have part of the tap root 
cut off; and all trees that are set out should have a little 
hollow left round them, for the water to soak in, unless 
it is very wet land. 

Bones put in with the earth, around the roots of large 
trees, facilitates the water soaking in, and also manures 
the tree. Care should always be taken to set the tree 
just as deep in the ground as it was before, and no deeper, 
and a little ashes strewed around trees just set out, is 
very beneficial in keeping the earth moist. No manure 
should be put under the roots of a tree, as it will be 
likely to die, if the weather was dry, and it would be 
much more beneficial mixed with the earth above the 
roots. When vegetables are raised between the rows 
•of trees, care should bo taken to manure the trees as 
well as vegetables, and, in hoeing, to give the trees 
their full share of earth, and not draw it from the trees 
to hill tiie vegetables. 

Directions for purchasiiio' JVLulberry Trees of 
various kinds. 

Seedling trees, of any kind, will not be likely to 
have many branches, if they are only one year old, and 
the size will depend upon tiie manner in which they 
were cultivated, and the distance between them. If 
'they grew a proper distance apart, the wood will be like- 
ly to be ripened better, and the trees larger, Seed- 



21 

ling trees should be purchased in the fall and pre^ 
served through the winter, as will be hereafter di- 
rected. Trees that are several years old will be 
valuable on account of the branches they may have, 
and the size of the tree will depend upon the culti- 
vation, and the distance at which they have stood 
apart. The larger and the more branches the better, 
as the branches may be trimmed off, and used for 
cuttings or scions to graft with ; except the morus 
expansa which will not grow from layers or cuttings, 
but is cultivated only by grafting. The age of the 
tree should be ascertained, for if the size does not 
correspond with the age, it is an indication that the 
trees are old, and stunted from growing close to- 
gether, and not being well cultivated. Trees that 
are old and small have many small branches, and the 
bark generally appears rough and old, and the bark 
of the roots is of a dark yellow, approaching a 
brown, and sometimes wrinkled ; such trees should 
be avoided. But those — the bark of which appears 
smooth, and the trees thrifty — the bark of the roots 
of a bright yellow, and smooth — may be purchased 
with safety. 

Directions for purchasing Miiliicaidis Trees. 

It is not material whether the trees are raised 
from layers or cuttings, provided they have good 
roots and the wood is well ripened, but it is very 
important that they should have been raised a proper 
distance apart ; for if they have not, they will not 
be likely to have many branches, neither will the 
wood be so well ripened. Unless the purchaser has 
an opportunity to see the trees, it is the best way to 
purchase by the foot, either with or without the 
branches : if without the branches, it should be stipu- 
lated that the branches be cut off, so as to leave 
three buds upon that part of the branch that remains 
upon the tree, for if it is cut very close it will be 
likely to kill the buds at that joint. It should also 
be agreed what part of the tree should be measured. 
The proper place to begin to measure, is where the 



22 

tree started from the old wood of the layer or cut- 
ting, to where it is ripe enough to keep all winter, 
or until it is time to plant it, or, if measured in the 
spring, all that is alive at the top may be measured, 
but it is much the best way to purchase and trans- 
port trees in the fall, when it can be done then. 

Directions for purchasing Cuttings. 

Cuttings are generally sold by the bud, and the pur- 
chaser should be careful to select those of which the 
wood is well ripened, and none less than one-eighth of 
an inch in diameter, nor any that are more than half an 
inch. It is not material whether they are taken from 
the tree in the fall or spring, if they have not been cut 
up into short pieces, and have been properly taken care 
of through the winter. If they have not been well pre- 
served very few will be likely to grow. Cuttings are 
best taken from thrifty trees that have grown upon a 
rich soil, for the buds will be farther apart, and there 
will be a greater length of wood for each bud, which will 
be rather an advantage when they are planted. It is 
best to purchase cuttings in the fall, when it can be 
done, and preserve them as will be hereafter directed. 

Directions for preserving JVfulticaulis Trefs and 
Seedling Trees of various kinds, through the 
ivinter. 

Upon the bottom of a dry cellar, or, if the cellar be wet, 
upon a floor supported by timber of some kind, so high 
that the water will not be likely to come up to it, 
spread some loose fine earth or sand, that is nearly dry 
and as free as possible from any vegetable matter. Then 
lay trees upon this loose earth. They will pack best to 
lay the tops together, and the roots at each end, and so 
far apart that the tops of the largest trees may reach 
nearly or quite to the roots of the opposite side, and the 
short trees may be laid in the mid lie. After the layer 
of trees is laid over, as close as it is convenient to lay 
them, scatter sufficient earth or sand over them to fill up 
all the spaces between the trees. It is important to 



23 

have all the spaces between the roots and tops complete- 
ly filled, so as to prevent their moulding, for, if they 
should mould, it will be likely to kill the part that moulds. 
After this layer of trees is filled with earth, lay on more 
trees, in the same way, and contmue to fill up the 
spaces with earth. They may be packed in this way as 
hig-h as the cellar will admit. After the last layer of 
trees is put on, be careful to cover them entirely with 
earth or sand. Some prefer to bury them in the ground, 
which will answer very well, if the place is shaded or 
covered with loose straw or weeds, after the ground 
has been frozen, so that it does not freeze and thaw 
over them at every change of weather. The ground 
should be raised a little over them, so that the water 
will run off readily, and not settle near them. It will be 
safest to cover them twelve or fifteen inches deep with 
earth, although some are of the opinion that freezing 
does not hurt them, and accordingly bury them in a 
heap above the ground. The trees should be laid as 
above described, and then the second layer a "little nar- 
rower than the first, and the third layer still narrower, 
filling all the spaces betv/een the trees and their roots 
with earth, and bringing the heap to a peak, like the 
roof of a house. Cover the trees eight or ten inches 
deep with earth, making a drain for the water to run 
away from the heap, and shade the heap with boards. 
The top of the tree being buried in earth, the green 
and unripe wood is prevented from decaying, that 
otherwise would be lost ; for trees that have been put in 
the cellar, with earth put around the roots only, have 
been taken out in the spring very much withered, and 
not worth more than one-third as much as they would 
have been, if the tops and roots had been well packed 
in earth. Care must be taken that the rats and mice do 
not get to them, for they are very fond of them, and 
will injure them very much. 

Directions for 'preserving Cuttings during the 
winter. 

Cuttings should be packed in earth in a dry cellar. 
They may be packed upon the ground, (but, in a wet 



24 

one, upon a scaffold,) or in boxes. The earth or sand 
should be as free as possible from vegetable matter, 
almost or quite dry, and put in so as to leave no open 
spaces at all. They may also be packed in a heap 
■above ground. When that is done, cover them well 
with earth, in such a manner that the water may not get 
to them ; they should not be allowed to freeze, and the 
ground or heap should be shaded, or covered with straw ; 
after it is partially frozen. If they are put up as above 
described, and the rats and mice kept from them, they 
will remain in good order, until they are wanted for 
planting in the spring. 

Directions for planting JMuliicaulis Cuttings. 

Land that has been cultivated for a number of years 
previous, will be likely to produce the largest growth of 
trees. The land should be ploughed a sufficient num- 
ber of times to make it very mellow ; and, if it is not 
rich, it should be made rich by spreading fine manure 
upon it after it has been ploughed the last time, and then 
harrowed well to mix the manure with the earth. Lay 
it off in rows three feet apart by drawing a stick of wood 
or wheelbarrow, or something of the kind over it, and it 
may be some advantage to have the rows to run north 
and south. Take your cuttings, and cut them apart 
about one-fourth of an inch above the bud, leaving one 
bud upon each piece, unless the buds are within one and 
a quarter inches of each other ; but in this case, leave 
two buds upon one cutting, if the wood is large. Some 
experienced cultivators think there is an advantage in 
shaving off one side of the cutting, by beginning half 
way up to the bud and taking off a small chip, so as to 
cut off about one-third of the thickness at the lower 
end. Soak them in water that is about as warm as 
common spring water, for about twenty-four hours ; 
place them a little aslant, with the bud upon the upper 
side, about one foot apart in the rows nraade as above 
described ; push them into the ground so that the earth " 
entirely covers them, then walk along the rows so as to 
put the ball of the foot directly upon each cutting, which 
will push the cutting down with the earth, and press the 



25 

earth hard around it, and will also make a little hol- 
low to catch the rain, which will soak in around the 
cutting. If, however, the weather should continue 
very dry, it will be best to water them, a little after sun- 
set, with water that has stood in the sun during the day. 
The best plan for applying ashes is, to put two-thirds 
or half a pint to each plant, after they are several inches 
high, and if the ground is inclined, put the ashes upon 
the upper side of the plant. Keep them well hoed, 
both on account of the weeds, and to keep the ground 
loose, until the first of the eighth month, (August.) But 
after that the ground should not be disturbed, except to 
pull, or cut up the weeds. Omitting to hoe them will 
have a tendency to check the growth, and allow the 
wood to ripen more fully before the frost kills the leaves. 
It is very important to soak the cuttings in water before 
planting, and to press the earth hard around them after 
they are planted. I have known cuttings planted as 
above described, of which ninety out of one hundred 
grew, while some that were dropped and covered with a 
hoe without being soaked, not ten out of a hundred 
grew. 

Directions fox 'planting various kinds of Cuttings. 

All kinds of mulberry trees will grow from cuttings, 
except what is termed the morns expansa, which will, I 
believe, neither grow from cuttings or layers ; and all 
the trees of that kind that I have known of, were graft- 
ed upon the stocks of some other kind. 

The Black, White, Alpine, Chinese seedlings, Brussa 
and Paper mulberry will grow from cuttings and layers ; 
but the cuttings of these kinds are generally so plenty, 
that it would be best to leave several buds upon each. 
The Alpine and Chinese seedlings, however, are said to 
grow from cuttings, of one bud, which should be planted 
like those of the multicaulis, as above described. The 
other kinds may be cut up with a hatchet, into pieces of 
about four inches in length, and soaked in water about 
twenty-four hours. Then plough a furrow in mellow 
land, five inches deep, and set them along against the 
perpendicular side of the furrow, with a hoe, put the 

b 



26 

earth ploughed out into the furrow again, and tread 
along each side of the cuttings to press the earth hard 
around them. They should be covered to within one 
inch of the top, and if the land is dry leave a hollow 
around the tops of the cuttings, so as to catch the rain, 
and so that it may soak in around them. If the weather 
is dry I hey should be watered a little after sunset. If 
they are designed for a close hedge, the cuttings should 
be set near together, and the rows made three or four 
feet apart. They will grow fast in rich land, and some 
vegetables may be raised between the rows the fir&t 
season. The second season, if the leaves are wanted 
to feed worms with, as the branches have spread 
each way, take a sharp knife and cut off the branches 
upon one side, aboutthree inches from the ground ; then 
let them remain until new branches start out, when the 
opposite side may be cut in the same manner. If the 
land is rich, they may be cut twice upon each side, if 
the season is dry they may want watering. This has a 
decided advantage over large trees, as the leaves may 
be gathered much faster without the risk of climbing, 
and all the trouble of moving ladders is saved, and they 
can begin to make silk much sooner. I think, however, 
that it is very desirable to raise as many large trees as 
can be set to advantage in pasture lands, and by the 
roads and fences, and by the time they are large enough 
lo pick, the leaves from them will be wanted. 

Directions for iilanting Muliicaulis trees. 

To increase the trees as fast as possible, take a rich 
piece of mellow land that is neither very wet nor very 
dry. A piece that has been cultivated two or three 
years is best, provided it is rich. Plough it twice or 
more, and if it is not rich, fine manure of any kind may 
be spread on it, and harrow it well to mix the manure 
with the earth. It may then be furrowed with a plough,. 
four feet apart. It is best that the rows should run 
north and south, or nearly so. Then take the trees that 
are to be planted, and if they are small, cut off all the 
branches about half an inch from the main stalk, and 
cut off one-third from the top to make cuttings ; or if 



27 

the trees are large, cut off one-half or two-thirds from 
the top. It will be likely to bring the trees forward 
sooner, if they are soaked two hours in water that has 
stood in the sun. Dig a hole in the furrow of the land 
prepared as above directed, for the root, and fill the fur- 
row nearly full where the top is to lay. Put the roots 
in the hole, and separate them so that the earth will be 
between them as much as may be, for if the roots are 
crowded together, without much earth between them, 
they will be likely to mould and rot. The roots should 
be well covered, and the top covered about one inch 
deep, Willi fine earth, and the earth pressed down with 
a hoe; and the trees and their roots should be put so 
that the ground will be level, when the tree is covered a 
proper depth. After the trees have generally come up, 
ashes may be strewed by the side of the row, and they 
should be hoed five times, before the first of eighth 
month, (August.) and then let alone, except pulling or 
cutting the weeds, so that the wood may ripen before 
the frost kills the leaves. In planting, the top of one 
tree may reach nearly to the roots of the next in the 
rows, if the land is very wet the rows may be raised 
a little when the trees are planted ; but there should 
never be any manure put in the row, neither under the 
tree nor its roots, for if there is, and the weather should 
become dry, it might prove fatal to the tree. 

Direclions for planting JMiilticauUs Roofs. 

If the root has one or more buds upon it, plant it so 
that it will lay nearly flat, and cover the bud half an 
inch deep with earth, pressing the earth down upon 
the roots. If there are no buds, put the end of the roots, 
from which the top was taken, at or a little above the 
top of the ground, or in other words, do not cover it en- 
tirely with earth. If the root is long, lay it nearly flat, 
covering all but half an inch of the end, and press the 
earth upon the roots. If the ground is dry, the roots 
should be put so deep, that when they are covered, the 
earth should be level ; and, if very dry, put them so as 
to leave a hollow over them ; if very wet, the earth 
should be raised a little. 



28 

Directions for grafting JVFulberry trees of any kind. 

Good thrifty stocks of white mulberry may be graft- 
ed to advantage, particularly with the multicaulis, if they 
are the size of a man's little finger or larger. One 
scion of multicaulis, set in a stock of the white, will be 
worth as much as two cuttings that are planted. Clear 
the earth from the stock to be grafted, about one and a 
half inches deep, then saw it off about where the top of 
the ground was, before the earth was cleared away ; 
split the stock, and if it is large it may be split again 
crosswise, and if it is very large, it may be split three 
times or more. If it is small it will only take one 
scion, but if it is large it will take two in each split, 
provided the stock is more than twice as large as the 
scion. After the stock is split the scion must be cut 
like a wedge, and made a little thicker upon the side 
where the bud is, and the bud should always be put out- 
side. The edge of the wood, next to the bark upon 
the scion, should be made to come as near as possible 
to the edge of the wood upon the stock, or in other 
words, the inside of the bark upon the scion, should be 
set so as to meet the inside of the bark upon the stock. 
After the scion is set, it should be covered v.'ith fine 
earth, about one inch above the top. This earth should 
be pressed down a little, taking care not to disturb the 
scion. 

Trees that are transplanted, may be grafted before 
they are set out, and then the root and scion may both 
be soaked in water two or three hours after they are 
grafted, before they are set in the ground. But there 
will be a much larger growth upon trees that are grafted, 
where they have stood one year or more, and it would 
be likely to produce a larger growth, if the trees that 
are transplanted were transplanted very early in the 
spring — a part of the top being cut off, so that the tree 
may not be so much affected by the wind : and when the 
buds of the tree have started a little, saw them off, and 
graft them as above directed. If grafted trees are well 
hilled up with earth, then a sufficient number of roots will 
grow out of the scion, and then, in the fall, the roots 



29 

grafted may be sawed off just below where the graft 
was set. The root should be covered again with earth, 
during the winter, and grafted again the next spring. 
The wood of grafted trees is always better ripened than 
the wood of trees from cuttings, and, generally, the 
tree is twice or three times as large ; which, I suppose 
to happen from the old roots furnishing more, or per- 
haps a more mature sap, and consequently producing 
more and riper wood. 

Directions for inoculating JMulberry Trees. 

Trees that are intended for inoculation should have the 
sprouts all trimmt'd off from the ground upwards six in- 
ches or a foot according to the size of the tree, soon 
after they start out. The trees should stand one foot 
apart in the rows. The success depends much upon 
the condition of the trees, that is, they should be thrifty 
and have a full flow of sap, and the operation should 
be performed after the middle of seventh month, 
(July.) and before the first of ninth month, (September.) 
Select buds from small size twigs of ripe wood, of the 
:same years growth, and cut off the leaves near the bud. 
Look out a smooth place in the bark of the stock, make 
B. perpendicular slit half an inch in flength across it, 
with a cut at the top, and be careful not to cut the 
wood. Then take off a bud by entering the knife half 
an inch above it, and, and taking it out with a shallow 
■scollop, extending to a quarter of an inch below ; then, 
with the knife, raise the corners of the bark, taking care 
not to scrape or mutilate the wood of the stock, insert 
the bud and press it down two-thirds the length of the 
slit: then cut off the top of the inoculate, so that it wili 
exactly reach the cross-cut, and bind down the bark 
upon it with woollen yarn ; the v/hole operation should 
be performed with expedition, so as to have the wounds 
exposed as little as possible. The woollen yarn should 
be cut off, as soon as it becomes so tight as to make a 
crease in the bark of the tree. Some inoculators re- 
commend picking the wood out of the inoculates ; but, 
as the most experienced are divided, it will be best for 
■cultivators to try some both ways ; as the inoculates 
3* 



30 

seldom adhere, except around the edge, therefore, the 
smaller the better, provided the organs of the bud are 
preserved, and also for the benefit of the stocks, as the 
smaller the wound the quicker it will heal, and if the 
piece of bark put in is large, so as to leave a hollow 
under it, the bud will be more likely to wither. The 
buds should be set upon the north side of the stocks, as 
they will be less likely to be injured by the sun. The 
stocks should not be cut off until the following spring. 
Some cultivators have been very successful in propaga- 
ting by inoculation, but I think trees grafted, as directed 
in the foregoing chapter, will be most likely to succeed. 

Directions for Raising Trees from Suckers. 

Suckers should be separated from the trees early in 
the spring, taking as many roots attached to the sucker 
as can conveniently be obtained, and planted out in the 
nursery, observing the rules already laid down for trans- 
planting trees. Suckers should be well trimmed when 
planted out, so that the wind may have less effect upon 
them. Trees or suckers when transplanted, if the weath- 
er continues dry, may be watered after sunset,with water 
that has stood in the sun during the day. 

Directions for Packing Trees Jor Transportation. 

In packing trees for transportation, regard should be 
had to the conveyance and the time likely to be occcu- 
pied in the journey. If they are transported in the fall, 
and are not more than ten or fifteen days on their journey , 
they may be put in boxes, or mats, or if put in crates, a 
littie straw should be put between the crate and the trees, 
and moss put between the roots. If put in boxes or mats, 
there will be no need of any straw, if there is moss put 
about the roots. If moss cannot be obtained, put in a 
little hay or straw between the roots. There should not 
be any straw put between the tops, if packed in boxes 
or crates, if there is, the tops Vv^ill be likely to mould. 
If put up in mats, straw maybe useful about the tops. 
If the trees are to take long journeys in the fall or 
spring, the roots should be puddled in the following man- 



31 

Ker : Mix some fine clayey earth with water, about ag 
thick as cream, then dip in the roots of the trees and 
take them out, let them dry, then pack as above direct- 
ed. If very small plants are to be sent to a distance, they 
should be packed in boxes and a mixture of saw-dust 
and earth, nearly dry, and all the spaces between the 
roots, and between the trees and the sides of the box, 
should be completely filled with the sawdust and earth. 
I have seen trees that were brought from Alabama, that 
were not packed with anything between them, but were 
simply put in the hold of the vessel, and they were in 
very good condition. I have also seen trees from France, 
that the roots were put in moss and the tops covered 
with straw, put up in bundles of one or two hundred each, 
that were in the best condition of any French trees 
that I have seen, if the roots had been puddled, I think 
it would have been an advantage. I have been inform- 
ed that there has been trees brought from France, 
that were packed in earth, that was very wet and were 
packed in the hold of the vessel, and when they arrived 
were nearly all rotten ; if the earth had been dry, and 
free from vegetable matter, I have not the least doubt 
they would have kept as well as if they had been packed 
in a cellar, if no water had got to them during the pas- 
sage. When trees are put in boxes, there should be 
holes left in the box, that the trees may have air if they 
are put in the hold of a vessel. 

Directions for packing- Cuttings for Transportation^ 

If the distance is short, so that they may reach their 
destination in a few days, pack them in a little moss. 
If they are to be long on the journe}^ they should be put 
in boxes and packed in earth or sand, that is nearly or 
quite dry, or in a mixture of earth and saw-dust, as di- 
rected for small trees. The buds may be counted upon 
the twigs, but they should not be cut apart until they 
are wanted to plant. 



PART SECOND. " 

DIRECTIONS FOR HATCHING AND FEEDING SILK- 
WORMS, AND FOR PRESERVING THE 
EGGS AND COCOONS. 

Directions for purchasing eggs. 

In purchasing eggs, be careful to obtain those raised 
from the best single cocoons, for in one instance where 
the double cocoons were saved for the production of 
eggs, the worms from these eggs produced such imper- 
fect cocoons, that none of them were fit for seed, and 
but few could be reeled, and the owner thought best to 
purchase a new supply of eggs. Hence the propriety 
of having eggs from the best cocoons only, is evident. 
As tliere are several varieties of worms, it is best to ob- 
tain a few of each kind, and ep-gs that are well im- 
pregnated are of a slate colour: Those that are yellow, 
are not impregnated, and will not hatch unless they 
were laid so late in the season that the weather was 
not warm enough for them to change color, then they 
will change color and hatch in the spring. It will be 
well to enquire if the moths were allowed to separate 
themselves, for if they were separated by force, there 
will be likely to be more imperfect eggs than if they 
were left to separate themselves, unless they were put 
together and separated at proper intervals. In some 
parts of Europe, the eggs are wet with dark colored 
wines, so that they may all look like good eggs, but 
the bad eggs may be detected by putting them in water, 
when they will float, while the good eggs wiil sink. 

Directions for Preserving Eggs. 

If the eggs are intended to be hatched as soon as the 
leaves are large enough to feed the worms, the eggs 
may be put up in paper and may be kept in a cool part 
of the house, until the last of the second month, when 



33 

they should be put in a tin box or glass jar, (as they are 
liable to mould in stone or earthernware ;) if put in a tin 
box, they should be set upon the ground in a cool cellar^ 
if in a glass jar, it should be set into tiie ground two- 
thirds of its height, and so kept until they are wanted 
to hatch in the spring. The box or jar must be covered 
so as to keep the rats or mice from them, but not en- 
tirely air tight, or otherwise they will require to be fre- 
quently opened. If they are kept from the air entirely^ 
they will probably lose their vitality. 

But when eggs that are kept through the winter are 
wanted to produce successive crops of worms in the 
course of the season, they should be taken sometime in 
the second month, (February,) and put in glass jars or 
tin vessels, that is not air tight, but covered. These 
jars should be put in a box ; there should be holes bored 
in the bottom of the box and the box put in an ice house 
upon the ice and covered with straw, so that as the ice 
melts and settles, the box may settle with it, or if there 
is no ice house at hand, bury the jars without the box, 
three feet deep in the bottom of the cellar and put some 
straw over the ground after the hole is filled with earth, 
then the eggs may be taken out and hatched as they are 
wanted. I should prefer an ice house if it was conve- 
nient, if not, 1 would put some ice in the bottom of the 
hole where the jars are buried to cool the ground. Eggs 
that were laid in an office that had a south-eastern ex- 
posure, were put upon the top of a secretary and remain- 
ed there until they were wanted the next summer, al- 
though the office was warmed during the winter with a 
stove heated with anthracite coal. And when they 
were wanted to hatch, they were exposed in the room 
in order to hatch, but they did not hatch until the middle, 
or late in the summer ; when the eggs were laid in the 
sun and a paper laid over them to prevent the sun from 
shining direct upon them, when they soon iiatched and 
produced fine healthy worms. It would seem to follow 
from this, that eggs kept in a room as warm as an ordi- 
nary sitting-room or office, will not hatch until very late 
in summer, if they do at all, unless they are placed in an 
elevated temperature, which might be done whenever 
the eggs were wanted to produce worms. By the ac- 



34 

counts from Europe, it appears that eggs have been 
kept in an ice house twenty-two months and hatched 
well, by being hatched in a moist atmosphere. 

Directions for Building Cocooneries. 

If a building be erected seventeen feet wide and seven 
feet high, and made as long as the quantity of worms 
may require, the width will allow two frames to run 
lengthwise, each four feet wide, and leave an alley be- 
tween them and one on each side three feet wide. There 
should be a door in the middle of each end, a window 
over it, and upon each side one window four and a half 
feet high and two feet wide, for every ten feet of the 
length of the building. This v/indow should have a ve- 
nitian blind with wide strips, and so constructed that it 
may be opened to admit the light, or closed to keep out 
the rain. Those windows over the door should be pro- 
vided with the same kind also. The roof should be 
shingled, and the sides may be made of rough boards and 
white-washed. If it is built upon dry ground, it will do 
without any floor, if there is a little sand or gravel spread 
upon the ground to make it a little higher than the ground 
around the building. Farmers generally need have no 
cocooneries, except their barns, cribbs, grain-houses, or 
other out-buildings, which they might happen to have, 
that could be spared during the season of feeding worms. 
I have fed them and seen them fed in stables where the 
cattle stood in the wmter, and in the hay-lofts of barns 
and lofts of grain-houses, upon shelves like those descri- 
bed in the next chapter. Jf a large cocoonery is want- 
ed, it can be made two stories high, or the width in- 
creased seven feet, to allow three rows of shelves. Where 
it is convenient, I should rather increase the length of 
the building. There should be several holes left for 
ventilation, near the ground, with sliding doors to them 
and some kind of grating or netting. 

Directions for Preparing Feeding Shelves. 

If there is no floor, there should be some stakes driven 
into the ground to support the frames for the shelves ; 



35 

these stakes should be sawed off above the ground and 
should be set four feet apart, tliat bein^ the width of the 
shelves, and about eight feet the other way. Some 
small pans made of sheet zink or lead, should be set up- 
on these stakes, or upon the floor, if there is a floor, for 
the feet of the frames to stand in; a little oil put into 
these pans would prevent ants from ascending the frames. 
Where there is no floor, if the stakes are six inches 
high and the pans made to project over the stakes, it 
would prevent mice from getting up. In the country 
where saw-mills are near by, it is customary to take two 
slabs and bore holes, if they are to stand upon the floor, 
one foot from the lower end and one foot apart, and 
make six or seven holes, then put some pieces across 
between the two slabs like the rounds of a latider, so that 
the two slabs will stand four feet apart ; take two of 
these ladders and stand them six or eight feet apart and 
lay common rough boards upon the rounds for shelves, 
it is no consequence what kind of wood. Shelves can 
be made in this way any length, by increasing the 
number of ladders ; these shelves can be easily removed 
if the building is wanted for any other purpose, when it 
is not wanted to feed worms in : the worms when small 
may be fed upon paper upon these shelves, and after they 
are tvv'o weeks old, they will need no paper if the shelves 
are so tight that the worms do not fall through the 
cracks between the boards. Those who cannot conve- 
niently get slabs, can substitute strips of boards or plank, 
or whatever is convenient, and nail the slats upon the 
posts of their ladders or frames : these frames may be 
prevented from falling down, by nailing a strip of board 
from the top of one of the ladders to the bottom of the 
next. Shelves made as above described are cheaper 
than if made in almost any other way. 

Space Required for Silk TVorms. 

A common sized full grown silk worm, is about three 
inches long, and half an inch thick, consequently covers 
an area of one and a half square inches. Now tJie least 
space allowed to a worm should not be much less than 
three square inches, that is, to allow fifty worms to a 



36 

square foot. Taking that for a basis, we make the fol- 
lowing* calculation : a cocoonery forty feet long" and 
seventeen feet wide, will admit of two rows of shelves 
each thirty-six feet long and four feet wide, and six 
shelves, one above the other. Each shelf contains one- 
hundred and forty-four square feet, sufficient for seven 
thousand two hundred worms, and the twelve shelves con- 
tain one thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight square 
feet, sufficient room for eighty-six thousand four hun- 
dred full grown worms at one time. There might be 
seven shelves, one above the other, then there would be 
room for one hundred thousand eight hundred worms. 
1 have allowed the worms more space than any other 
writer whose calculations I have seen, except one, be- 
cause I believe that diseases among worms oftener arise 
from the worms being too much crowded than from all 
other causes put together, and it is a great deal less 
trouble to feed the worms when they are allowed ample 
room, and each one has a better chance of getting his 
share of the food, and the litter has a better opportunity 
to dry, and does not need removing so often as if the 
worms were more crowded. If two crops are fed in the 
ceason, of course these shelves will be sufficient for 
feeding double the number of worms above mentioned. 

Directions for Protecting Silk Worms from their 
Enemies. 

Care must be taken to protect silk worms from their 
enemies, which are fowls, birds, cats, rats, mice, weazles, 
ants, black-bugs, spiders and flies. Some of these must 
be kept from the worms by shutting them out of the 
building with netting or grating to the apertures left 
open for ventilation. The shelf frames should touch 
nothing but the floor or ground, and if the posts of the 
frames do not stand in oil or water, they should have a 
little tar made soft by mixing oil with it, or molasses 
rubbed upon them three inches from the floor and some 
tar and molasses both put on, one a little above the other, 
will do no hurt and will prevent the ants from getting 
upon the frames. Spider-webs must be removed, and 
spiders and black-bugs killed whenever they are found 



37 

in the cocoonery. If ants should by any means get up- 
on the shelves, put some lemon juice about the shelvesy 
and rub the cracks where they come out. The ants are 
very destructive to tiie millers, as well as worms, due 
care must be taken to guard them both from the ants. 

Directions for Raising Successive Crops of Silk 
Worms. 

If it is intended to raise several crops in a season, the 
eggs must be put in a cold cellar or ice-house, as direct- 
ed in the chapter upon preserving eggs. They may be 
taken out and hatched in such parcels as are want- 
ed. There is a kind called the two-crop worm, that if 
they are hatched as soon as the leaves are large enough 
to feed them upon, will come to maturity and wind their 
cocoons, and produce eggs in season for a second crop, 
and it would enable a person to feed more worms from 
the same trees by having a second crop. The cocoons 
of the two-crop worm are lighter and smaller than the 
other kinds, and they eat from three to four weeks ; the 
one-crop kind, from five to six. Farmers that would 
like to attend their worm.s after the busy season of mow- 
ing or harvest is over, can raise a few of the two-crop 
kind early, to produce eggs for a second crop, which 
might be fed during the eighth month, (August,) or if 
they prefer to raise the one-crop worm, they can hatch 
their worms the fifteenth or twentieth of seventh month, 
(July,) and they will want but few leaves for the first 
two weeks and will wind about the first of the ninth 
month, (September.) Care should be taken in the 
Northern States, not to hatch worms so late but that 
they will wind by the first of ninth month, (September,) 
or by the tenth at the latest, unless the room where they 
are to be fed, is to be warmed by artificial heat. 

Substituted Feed for Silk Worms. 

If you are so unfortunate as to have some worms hatch- 
ed before the mulberry leaves are large enough to feed 
them, you may feed them with lettuce, rose, bramble, 
hop, hemp, fig, black-berry, elm, sweet-cowslip, prim- 
4 



38 

rose, dandelion, scrozonora, [viper grass or vegetable 
oyster, salsiiie,] jujube of China, alder, chestnut, currant 
or pear leaves, and when starving, Indian corn ; and 
there are some accounts of their being fed upon dryed 
mulberry leaves, but if possible, take care to have no 
worms to feed until tlie mulberry leaves are large enough 
to feed them upon. 

I am satisfied that silk worms cannot be raised upon 
any thing to advantage, except mulberry leaves, the 
Chinese plan of feeding them upon rice flour, to the con- 
trary notwithstanding, and I believe it is folly to attempt 
to make silk by feedmg them upon anything else : but 
every new cultivator may try a few for an experiment 
and he will probably get his labor for his pains. 

Directions for GatJiering Leaves. 

Leaves should not be gathered until the dew is off in 
the morning, nor when they are wet with rain, if it can 
be avoided, but in case of necessity, leaves wet with the 
rain may be gathered and partially dried, by being spread 
upon the floor and stirred until the water is mostly 
shaken off, or the leaves may be taken between two 
cloths and shaken to get the water off, but it is better to 
gather some in advance, if it looks like being foul weath- 
er. One or two leaves should be left on the ends of the 
twigs, so as to keep up a brisk circulation of the sap, 
and in picking leaves from the multicaulis, it will be 
likely to injure the buds less if they are broken or cut 
off so as to leave part of the stem upon the twig, I 
think it is better to feed with leaves partially wet, if they 
are not wet with dew, than to let the worms remain 
long Vv'ithout being fed. A gentleman informed me, that 
he raised a few worms and dipped the leaves in water al- 
ways before feeding, and gave them to the worms wet, 
and the worms were as healthy for aught he could disco- 
ver, and made as good cocoons as those fed upon dry 
leaves. 

Directions for Preserving Leaves. 

Leaves after they are gathered, if they are not want- 
ed immediately, may be preserved by putting them in 



39 

barrels and boxes, in a cool cellar and covering them 
from the air. They will be less likely to ferment if they 
are not crowded in, and if they are to remain sometime, 
they should be sprinkled a little with water, as they are 
put in. Leaves picked towards evening, will keep long- 
er without wilting, than those picked m the middle of 
the day : those picked in the fore part and middle of the 
day, should therefore be used first. Where leaves are 
gathered upon the twigs, the leaves will keep sometime 
on the twigs without wilting. 

Remarhs iipon Chopping Leav^es. 

Some writers recommend feeding worms with chop- 
ped leaves, particularly foreign writers, but I believe there 
is no necessity for it, and it would seem to be very un- 
natural. As this work was not intended to recommend 
any superfluous labor, but for a guide to raise silk to 
profit, I shall offer some reasons why they should not 
be chopped. In the first place, the leaves wilt sooner 
than if they are not chopped, and the juice from the 
edges of the leaves being rubbed upon the worms, will 
be injurious. Some are of opinion that bruised leaves 
are injurious ; and it will be very difficult to chop leaves 
without bruising them, and I have not heard of any ex- 
perienced silk growers feeding their worms with chop- 
ped leaves. I believe it is only practiced by beginners. 

Directions for Hatching ike Worms. 

In this very congenial climate, all that seems necessa- 
ry, in order to hatch the worms, is to expose the papers 
containing the eggs, in a room that has a Southern ex- 
posure, where the sun shines most of the day, but not 
upon the eggs. The papers should be rolled up and 
hung up until the eggs begin to hatch, then taken down 
and spread. By keeping the papers rolled up until the 
worms begin to hatch, they hatch nearly all at the same 
time, or much more nearly together than if spread when 
first exposed. 

If it is intended that the eggs from tiie first crop, 
should be hatched for a second crop, the eggs for the 




first crop should be exposed, as above directed, as soon 
as the mulberry leaves are one-fourth of an inch wide. 
Care must be taken that the mice do not get at the eggs, 
or young worms. After the eggs have been thus expo- 



41 

eed eight or ten days, if the weather is warm the worms 
will begin to come forth. If they do not hatch in twelve 
days, the eggs should then be laid in the sun and a paper 
laid over them so that the sun does not shine upon the 
eggs ; and if the nights are cool, there should be a 
woollen cloth laid upon the paper during the night. 
When the worms begin to hatch, there should be some 
young mulberry leaves laid upon the paper, so that a9 
the worms come out, they may crawl to them and begin 
to eat. These leaves, with the young worms adhering 
to them, should be taken and laid in a row upon paper 
towards evening every day, and a new supply of leaves 
put upon the eggs. Care should be taken to keep the 
worms hatched each day, by themselves, so that they 
may all change their skins about the same time and all 
wind their cocoons at nearly the same time. The worms 
for the first week, require feeding with young tender 
leaves, several times a day, as it is the most critical 
period of their existence, and if the weather is very dry 
some think it best to give them an occasional meal of 
wet leaves. 

Observations upon the Diseases of Silk Worms. 

Most writers have enumerated a number of diseases 
that silk worms are liable to, and have also recommended 
Bome remedies. But I believe the diseases are common- 
ly generated by the worms being too much crowded up- 
on the shelves ; and the apartments not being properly 
ventilated. JSome authors recommend sundry fumiga- 
tions with chloride of lime, vitriol and some other arti- 
cles. But it appears to me, that no air, however fumi- 
gated, is equal to the pure atmosphere : and the fumi- 
gated air must be very unnatural. I shall therefore, 
recommend to ventilate freely; let the pure air in and 
the impure air out and dispense with all fumigations, 
and save both the trouble and expense. Keep your 
worms healthy by giving them ample room and plenty 
of pure air by ventilating freely. 

But if the worms should become diseased, they should 
be put upon a separate shelf, and all the dead worms 
should be thrown away, and not allowed to remain to 
the injury of the others. 

4* 



42 

Some inexperienced silk growers have mistaken the 
stupidity of the worms, when about to change their 
skins, for sickness, and in endeavoring to remove them, 
have destroyed nearly all they removed. Be careful 
not to commit the like error. 

Directions for Feeding Worms. 

The leaves that were taken from the eggs with the 
young worms adhering to them and laid in a row, should 
have some fresh leaves laid upon one side of the row, 
with the points of the new leaves laid between the stems 
of the old ones, when the worms will crawl upon them and 
begin to eat. The worms should be fed five times each 
day, for the first week, and four times a day for the 
second week, and afterwards three times ; and the points 
of the leaves given them should be laid between the 
stems of the leaves they have eaten, for when the worms 
have eaten all they will of a leaf, they crawl upon the 
stem in search of another. By laying the points of the 
new leaves between the stems of the old ones, the worms 
may be led as far as you please and leave their litter 
behind them. As the worms increase in size, or appear 
to be crowded, every other leaf should be taken out and 
laid at the end of the same, or in another row, taking 
care to keep each day's hatching by themselves. The 
worms require so little space for the first week or two, 
that they may be kept in any vacant room in the dwell- 
ing-house, and when they are carried to the cocoonery, 
the oldest worms should be put upon the upper shelves 
and the rest below in the order they were hatched. 
After the worms have been hatched five or six days, 
they will appear dormant and eat but little, until they 
shed their old skins, which has become too small, and 
then they will soon eat enough to make up the lost time. 
They will change their skins once in from five to seven 
days. If they are the two-crop worm,theywill change their 
skins three times, and wind their cocoons in about three 
weeks ; if they are the one crop, they will change their 
skins four times, and wind their cocoons in five or six 
weeks from the time they were hatched. Great care is 
necessary not to disturb the worms. When they are 



43 

isibout to change their skins they attach the skin of the. 
hinder part to whatever they happen to be upon, and 
crawl away, slipping their skins off and leaving them 
where they were fastened. If they are disturbed or 
routed up after they have fastened themselves down be- 
fore they get their skins off, they will be likely to die, 
for it is extremely doubtful whether they have power to 
fasten themselves down a second time. If they have 
not, of course they cannot get their skins off and there- 
fore must die. The best rule for feeding, is to give them 
as much as they will eat and no more. When they are 
two weeks or ten days old, they may be spread upon the 
shelves and the leaves may be strewed over and laid up- 
on them. Some cultivators think it is useful to give the 
worms an occasional feeding of leaves sprinkled with a 
weak solution of salt and water. Care must be taken 
that no litter of snuff or tobacco be made around the 
worms; and the smoke of tobacco is very destructive to 
the worms that are within its influence. Care must also 
be taken, that the cocoonery be well ventilated and that 
the worms have fresh air, also that the sun does not shine 
upon them, for the worms appear to shun the light by 
crawling from it; and they also crawl from the wind 
where it blows right upon them. I have frequently been 
told by persons who had fed a few worms, that they did 
not succeed. When I enquired how and where they 
kept their worms ? one says, " I fed them in the base- 
ment of some building, partly underground, and kept the 
air from them." Another, " I fed them in a chamber 
and was careful to keep tlie windows and doors shut." 

Silk worms to be healthy, must be kept above ground 
and v/ell supplied with fresh air. All noise and jarring 
of the building, while the worms are in it, should be 
avoided. Some recommend sprinkling the floor with 
water, in very dry hot weather, which has a tendency 
to purify the air. When it rains, or when the wind 
blows hard, the doors and other apertures upon the side 
towards the wind should be closed ; those upon the 
opposite side should be left open during the night 
as well as the day. The worms that die, should be all 
taken from among the others and thrown away. Some- 
times there will be a few worms that have done eating 



44 

and appear swollen and refuse to wind ; these should he 
separated from the rest, and sprinkled with vinegar in 
which wormwood has been soaked. This has a tenden- 
cy to enliven them, and sometimes stimulates them to 
wind their cocoons. 

Hemoving the Litter, and Remarks upon Hurdles. 

If the silk worms are fed as above directed, they will 
be clear of their litter for the first ten days or two weeks, 
but after they are fed by scattering the leaves over them, 
the litter will accumulate under them and if the weath- 
er is very dry and the worms well supplied with fresh 
air, it might lay some time without injury. It is the 
practice in some parts of Europe, not to remove the lit- 
ter during the life of the worm, but I think it must be in- 
jurious to the worm ; for in this climate moist or rainy 
weather would produce fermentation among the litter, 
which would have a tendency to create disease among" 
the worms. The practice of experienced cullivatorsf, is 
to remove the litter just after the worms have changed 
their skins, when they eat most voraciously. A branch 
of the white mulberry, or a leaf of the muiticaulis may 
then be laid upon them and they will immediately begin 
to eat, when the branch or leaf should be taken up with 
the worms adhering to it and laid upon a clean part of 
the same, or another shelf: the litter should then be 
cleared off and no more dust made than can possibly 
be avoided ; and this will leave room for the next par- 
cel of worms, and thus the litter may be removed by 
successive portions very fast, without handling the 
worms much, if at all. Some cultivators recommend 
rubbing the shelves with wormwood after removing the 
litter : it may be useful, but is not absolutely necessary. 
There will be no occasion to remove the litter from un- 
der the worms oftener than they change their skins, un- 
less the weather should continue Vv^et for several days 
in succession, and the litter should begin to mould or 
ferment. If it should, it ought to be removed immedi- 
atelv, for if it is allowed to remain it will be likely to 
produce distempers among the worms. Many beginners 
contrive some kind of hurdles made of lattice or netting. 



45 

and use them one or two years and then I think, com- 
monly lay them aside. If they are made of twine, they 
will rot very fast, unless they are changed very often, 
which increases the labor of attending- the worms very 
nnich, and when the worms are about to change their 
skins they must remain sometime without being changed, 
and when the bushes are put up for the worms to wind 
their cocoons, the litter must accumulate so as to make 
the twine very tender if not ruin it entirely ; and to make 
them of wire or rattan, they Vv^ould be very expensive. 
Moreover, to change them often and get them away 
from the worms just before the bushes are put up, would 
be more trouble than to feed the worms without 
them, as it is practiced by the most experienced cultiva- 
tors. There is a certain degree of discretion required 
in taking care of silk worms, that is, to do no more to 
them than what is necessary, as I have known a great 
many worms killed by having too much done to them. 

Direclions for Preparing the Jlpparatus for the 
Worms to Wind their Cocoons. 

When some of the worms crawl to the edges of the 
shelves, and if fresh leaves are given them, crawl over 
them refusing to eat, and appear to be v/andering about 
and raising up their heads, swinging them about as if 
trying to reach something, and when holding one up to 
the light and looking through it, it has the appearance 
of being filled with a clear yellowish oil, it is time to 
procure something for them to wind upon. Branches of 
oak, buttonwood, whortleberry, chestnut, white-oak, or 
some kind of bushes of which the leaves are tough when 
dried, and will not crumble and mix with the floss when 
the cocoons are picked off, are best. Ash and black- 
oak are so smooth that the worms slip off from them 
and are therefore unfit for the purpose. The bushes 
should be green, with the leaves on and cut just long 
enough to stand upright between the shelves when 
sprung in between the shelves, in rows about nine inches 
wide, across the shelves, tfie bushy ends up. There will 
then be room left to put a handful of leaves in between the 
rows of bushes and scatter the leaves without disturbing 



the busshes. After the worms begin to spin, there should 
be as little noise and jar, in and around the building-, as 
possible, and be careful not to touch the bushes when 
feeding-. After the bushes have been standing seven 
days, the worms that have not crawled upon them nor 
began to wind, should be all tiken away and put upon 
another shelf and well fed and more bushes put up, so 
that they may spin. In four days after the worms are 
taken from between the bushes, the bushes may be taken 
down and the cocoons picked off, taking due care not to 
dent or mash them, and are to be disposed of as will be 
hereafter directed. The bushes should never be used a 
second time, for the worms will not mount old dry 
bushes so readily as they will fresh green ones ; and 
some of the floss or tow of the cocoons will stick to the 
bushes, and if the worms were to attempt to mount and 
spin upon them, the tow or floss, that remains upon the 
bushes, will catch and entangle the worms, so that they 
will hang until they die, and, when the bushes are 
taken down, more or less of them will be found hang- 
ing upon the bushes, dead, without having made any 
silk. 

I am aware that there have been a great variety of 
apparatus invented, for worms to spin their cocoons in, 
and almost every new cultivator has added the fruits of 
his genius to the number ; but I have not seen nor heard 
of any thing so good, or so cheap, or so easily obtained, 
as green bushes. Nothing that the worms have spun in 
once, should be used the second time, unless the tow 
or floss can be completely cleaned off, for the reason 
already given ; and no one that has had a little experi- 
ence will fail to see, at once, that it would cost more to 
clean the floss from any apparatus, however simple, 
than it would to procure a new supply of bushes. The 
interest of what any other apparatus for the worms to 
wind in, would cost, would probably pay for double the 
amount of bushes required. 

Directions for gaihering the Cocoons. 

In four days after the worms that have not wound 
are taken from between the bushes, the bushes should 



47 

be taken down and the cocoons picked off; taking care 
not to injure tiie cocoons, nor mash or dent them, or 
break up the leaves of the bushes among the floss, as 
it occasions a great deal of trouble to pick out the 
pieces afterwards. The cocoons should not be put into 
very large parcels, nor crowded together so as to be- 
come moist, or to sweat, to their injury. 

Directions Jor selecting Cocoons to produce Eggs, 

Select, for the production of eggs, the largest and 
finest cocoons, and those that contain but one moth, 
liave a shining appearance, and feel firm and stiff. 
Take an equal number of males and females. The 
male cocoons appear rather sharp at one end, and more 
pointed at both, and rather less than the females. The 
female cocoons are, therefore, rounder at the ends, and 
rather larger, and sometimes they are a little depressed 
in the middle. The floss should be stripped off, and 
they may be strung upon threads with a needle, taking 
a very light stitch upon the side of the cocoons ; if 
taken at one end, the thread might prevent the moth 
from getting out easily. They may then be hung up in a 
warm airy room. If a large quantity are to be saved 
to produce eggs, they may be spread in thin layers of 
not more than two or three deep, where the rats, mice, 
or ants, cannot get to them, for, if they do, they will 
bite holes in them, and eat out the moths, in preference 
to almost any thing else. The sun must not shine upon 
the cocoons, as that would destroy the moths in a few 
days. Fourteen ounces of cocoons, or one hundred pair 
of moths, are allowed to produce one ounce of eggs. 
Some authors think that one-sixtieth of the produce 
should be saved for seed ; I should think that it was dou- 
ble what is necessary. 

Directions for the management of the Moths, 

If the weather is warm and damp, the moths will come 
out sooner than if it is cool and dry ; but generally in 
from twelve to twenty days, from the time the worms 
begin to wind, the moths will discharge some liquid. 



48- 

which will soften the gum of the cocoon, and then, 
working his head one way and the other, crowding the 
fibres of silk to eitlier side, he will come out, and gen- 
erally in the morning. When the moth comes out, the 
male may be known by his creeping about, and keeping 
his wings in constant motion, and by his being smaller 
than the female. The female may be known by being 
larger, and by her keeping quiet until attacked by the 
male. As soon as the male gets out he seeks the female, 
and, when he finds her, they unite. Some time in the 
morning, before nine o'clock each day, the moths should 
be collected, and an equal number of males and females 
should be put upon cloth or paper. If the eggs are 
intended for sale, they may be layed upon cloth, and the 
cloth moistened and the eggs scraped off. After the 
moths are put upon the cloth or paper, there should be 
a pasteboard box, or a vessel of some kind, turned over 
them. In three or four hours, or between twelve and 
one o'clock, the box that is put over them should be 
taken off, and the moths separated. Take them by the 
wings and separate them, gently putting the males in a 
box, and the females upon cloth or paper, for them to lay 
their eggs upon, covering them with a dish as before. 
At night the moths should be put together again, and 
allowed to remain until morning, when they should be 
again separated ; which practice of separating them in 
the morning, and putting them together at night, should 
be continued until the female stops laying eggs. If the 
moths are managed as above directed, they will produce 
the greatest amount of good eggs ; but those vv'ho wish 
to dispense v/ith part of the labor, and are vvilling to 
take up with a less quantity of good eggs, may manage 
them as follows. — After putting them together, as above 
directed, and covering them with a dish, let them re- 
main twenty-four hours ; then all the maJes that have 
separated from the females, should be taken away, and 
the others allowed to remain twenty-four hours more, — 
when the males should all be taken away. If there are 
more moths of one sex than the other, they should be 
put into a box, where it is dark ; and, if they are females, 
the males that are taken from the other females may 
he put with them ; but if they are males, they should 



49 

be saved, until there is an excess of females over the 
males that come out, to put with them, but care should 
be taken, that two males do not get to one female ; for, 
if they do, she will be likely to die before she has laid 
all her e^g-s. I am aware that some recommend sepa- 
rating- the male from the female in six hours, and not 
putting them together again ; but the consequence is, 
that a part of the eggs will not be impregnated, and, of 
course, will be good for nothing : but the most experi- 
enced silk growers recommend the method first described, 
and, next to that, to leave them to separate themselves, 
tnking care that the males do not get to the females af- 
terwards. If the males are left with the females, the 
females die before they have laid all their eggs. The 
moths never eat any thing, but simply come out of the 
cocoons, and lay their eggs and die. The egg^, when 
first laid, are of a light yellow, and those that will not 
hatch remain so ; those that are impregnated, and will 
hatch, turn slate color and remain so, until just before 
they hatch, when they will appear almost black. The 
eggs may be preserved as directed in a former chapter. 

Directions for picking the tow or floss from the 
Cocoons. 

Begin by picking the tow open at the pointed end, and 
pull it away a little, round the end ; then with the tinger 
applied to the other end, push the cocoon out of the 
tow ; gather what little tow remains with the thumb and 
fingers, and it is finished. Cocoons that have the floss 
well picked off*, are easier to commence reeling. 

Directions for destroijing; the. Moths to j)rtvent their 
coming out of the Cocoons. 

Cocoons that cannot be wound off", within eight or ten 
days after they are taken from the bushes, the moths 
must be destroyed, or they will perforate the cocoons 
and come out, which will prevent the cocoon from being 
reeled. But it is best, if it can be done, to have a ma- 
chine and wind them off, so as to save the trouble of de- 
stroying the moths, for the cocoons wind off much easier 



50 

than they do after the moths are destroyed. The moths 
may be prevented from coming out for some time, by 
keeping the cocoons cool and dry ; if they are put in an 
ice-house, they may be kept dmost any length of time, 
if it is not so damp as to make them mould. If they 
should mould it would diminish the value of them very 
materially, if it did not ruin them altogether. 

The moths should be destroyed by that method that 
will make them the least difficult to wind. The cocoons 
wind oif better, when the moths are destroyed, by steam- 
ing in the following manner, than if destroyed in any 
other way. Choose a fair day, on account of drying 
the cocoons in the sun, after they are steamed ; take a 
large kettle, and put a little water in the bottom ; make 
a hoop that will go down to within three inches of the 
water, and fasten a net over it, to prevent the cocoons 
from touching the water, and make another hoop that 
will just lay upon the top of the kettle ; fasten the hoops 
together, by putting a piece of cloth round inside of the 
kettle, just wide enough to reach from one hoop to the 
other; fasten it securely to each hoop. Make the water 
boil, so that it makes steam freely ; then fill the hoops 
with cocoons, and set them into the kettle ; cover the 
cocoons close, with a thick cloth, and keep the water 
boiling for five minutes, which is long enough to heat 
the cocoons sufficiently to kill the moth. The cocoons 
should not be steamed any longer than it is necessary to 
kill the moth, as over steaming would make them very 
soft, so that they would be liable to be dented or flat- 
tened. When emptied out they should be dried, which 
they will soon do, if spread in the sun. When one par- 
cel is steamed and taken out, another parcel may be put 
in, and steamed the same length of time. In this way 
a large quantity can be done in a short time, without any 
risk of damaging the cocoons ; and, it is also less trouble 
and more expeditious than any other way. The moths 
may also be destroyed by drying the cocoons in an oven, 
that is as hot as ovens are usually left, after the bread is 
taken out. The cocoons should be put in shallow pans 
or trays, and if they are not more than six inches deep 
in the trays, they may be taken out of the oven in half 
an hour. 



51 

The moths may also be destroyed by exposing the co- 
coons to the sun, for two or three days, spread in layers 
of not more than two or three deep, and stirred, in the 
middle of the day, upon boards or cloths, out of the reach 
of ants. If put out of doors they should be tak.en in at 
night ; and, if in doors, they must be kept from the rats 
and mice. Cocoons, of which the moths were destroyed 
by drying in the sun, or baking, are more difficult to reel, 
than if destroyed by steam. 

Directions for 'preserving Cocoons, 

After the moths are destroyed the cocoons may be 
spread, with the floss upon them, in an airy room, in 
layers not more than three inches thick. They may 
remain here five or six weeks, unless they are wanted 
to wind off. If the floss is taken off, or if the layers 
are thicker, they will require stirring occasionally, to pre- 
vent their moulding. They should be examined often, 
and if they smell offensively, they must be stirred and 
aired, and those that are stained by the moth, should be 
wound immediately. If the cocoons are kept for a long 
time, in a close room, they are liable to be attacked by 
a kind of moth, which perforate them so as to render 
them unfit for reeling, and are only fit for floss silk, and 
sometimes are worth but very little for that. 

Directions for measuring Cocoons to sell. 

The prevailing custom, in measuring cocoons, is to 
measure them in a half bushel measure, and if the floss 
is picked off, the measure is filled level full ; if the floss 
.is on them, the measure is rounded. The highest price 
that I have heard of being paid, was six dollars per 
bushel ; the price, two or three years since, was three 
dollars per bushel,— and, of course, it has increased 
about one hundred per cent. iSome measure them dif- 
ferently, that is, they add two quarts to a level half 
bushel ; but the manner of measuring, either with the 
floss on or taken off, should be agreed upon, between the 
buyer and seller, as carefully as the price. 



52 

Transporting: Cocoons. 

Cocoons, when sent to market, or to a distance to be 
reeled, may be packed in dry boxes or barrels,and pressed 
so as to prevent their rubbing against the sides of the 
boxes or barrels, but not so as to alter their form. If 
they are kept perfectly dry, they may be transported 
almost any distance, by land or water. If they are to 
be transported only a short distance, bags will do, if care 
be taken not to mash them. Great care must also be 
taken, in handling cocoons for any purpose, not to mash 
or even dent them. 

To Farmers. 

If ye aspire to wealth and ease, 
Stock well your farms with mulberry trees ; 
The silk worms will their wealth unfold, 
And coin their foliag.j into gold. 

Suppose that you have never known, 
And are not curious to be shown; 
Your neighbors may the thing perform, 
And then the leaves which you produce, 
In skilful hands become of use. 

The farmer who would make pretence 
To taste should, have a hedge row fence ; 
No tree that's known, so quickly grows, 
Or looks so uniform in rows. 

It springs from cuttings or from seeds, 
And overcomes poor soil and weeds ; 
And in four years will make a fence, 
With of all things the least expense. 
And when, instead of walls and rails, 
The mulberry hedge around prevails, 
The lands produce a mine of wealth, 
Employment happiness and health. 
The mulberry grows on every soil, 
Requires but little aid or toil, 
And the best silk is always found 
Produced from leaves off sandy ground: 
While a rich soil will leaves produce 
Abounding' in a watery juice, 
And on which if worms be fed, 
They make a coaise and brittle thread. 



PART THIRD. 

DIRECTIONS FOR WINDING THE SILK FROM THE 
COCOONS, AND MANUFACTURING SEWING SILK, 
TWIST, &C., ACCOMPANIED WITH CUTS OF THE 
MOST APPROVED SILK MACHINES. 

Directions for sorting Cocoons^ 

The cocoons should be carefully sorted into several 
parcels, making- one parcel of the firmest and most per- 
fect cocoons, — a second of all the double ones, — a third 
of those that appear to be of a loose texture, — and a 
fourth of those that are spotted by the moths. Some 
are careful to separate the different colors, which may 
be useful. Cocoons should be kept quite dry, and those 
that wish to wind in damp weather, should dry their co- 
coons, and put them in a thick cloth bag, to be kept 
until they are wanted to put into the water, and should 
be careful not to take them out of the bag-, any faster 
than they are wanted to put in the water. 

Hints to those that raise Cocoons. 

Every person who raises cocoons, should convert them 
into sewing silk, or twist, or reel them into raw silk, as 
that will materially enhance the value of the product. 
After silk is taken from the cocoons, it occupies much 
less space than it did when in the cocoon. And there 
is very little risk of its being injured, which it is ex- 
tremely liable to, when in the cocoon. Whenever it is 
practicable, the cocoons should be wound off, in a few 
days after the worms have finished spinning, because the 
silk will wind off much easier then than ever afterwards, 
— but that cannot always be done. When it is not done, 
5* 



54 

the cocoons should be wound off as soon as circumstan- 
ces will admit, and they never should be kept over the 
winter, if it can be avoided. 

Ji description of the properties necessary for a JVLa^ 
chine to possess, to wind Silk from the Cocoons to 
advantage. 

Any machine for winding* silk from the cocoons to ad- 
vantage, must be so constructed as to twist the fibres of 
silk as soon as they pass the first guide, after leaving 
the cocoons, in the water. This first guide should be 
made of wire, bent in the form of the letter M. As the 
fibres are wound off, they should be twisted as soon as 
they pass this guide, so that the person tending can 
join the fibres from new cocoons without any difficulty, 
— so that as part of the cocoons are wound off, the fibres 
that are added from new cocoons may keep the thread 
of a uniform size. The twist unites the fibres that are 
added, so that the thread does not show where they are 
joined. In the old fashion reels, this twist was produced 
by running one thread round the other, which made it 
very inconvenient and difficult to commence winding ; 
and, after it is begun, one of the threads is liable to be 
broken, or become disarranged, which will break or dis- 
arrange the other, — and, when broken, it is a great deal 
of trouble to find the end, and mend it ready to run 
again. When winding imperfect cocoons, one thread 
must be wound at a time, and, on the old plan, no twist 
could be given it, which made it extremely difficult to 
join the fibres. But some recent inventions have obvi- 
ated it entirely, and now, one thread, or any number de- 
sired, can be wound and run entirely free, independent 
of each other, — and have the twist put in, and remain 
in the thread, or it may be allowed to escape, so that 
there will no twist remain in the thread. This new 
plan has many advantages, for if one thread should 
break, it does not disarrange nor break the other, and 
it may be mended again without any difficulty. When 
silk winders come to understand the difference in ma- 
chines, in respect to the twist, I think those machines 
that will put in any required degree of twist, and have 



55 

it remain in, or let it escape, will supersede those that 
do not. 

It is very important in machines that wind more than 
one thread at once, to have some apparatus to prevent 
the cocoons from rising- up to the guide, where the 
thread is twisted ; for if the cocoons should rise up to 
the guide, where the twist is, it would be very likely to 
break the thread of silk. The cocoons are prevented 
from rising up to the guide, in some machines, by a set 
of pointed wires or fingers, made in the shape of a man's 
hand open, with the fingers slightly bent. This hand of 
pointed wires is placed below the guide, and the wires 
set so near together,as to prevent the cocoons from pass- 
ing between them, but allows the fibres of silk to pass 
freely. The pointed wires relieve the winder from much 
labor in piecing the threads, that would be so liable to 
be broken by the cocoons rising up to the guides. 

It is also important to procure machines that can be 
operated by one person, and turned with the foot of the 
tender, so that their hands may be entirely at liberty to 
tend the fcocoons ; and if the machine is operated by 
steam or water power, there should be an apparatus so 
arranged, that with a slight motion of the foot, the ma- 
chine can be stopped or started at the will of the ope- 
rator. It is a very great advantage, in winding silk, to 
have the machine entirely under the control of the tend- 
er, that she may stop it instantly, if any disorder occurs 
among the cocoons. The water used in windmg silk 
should be pure and soft, and entirely free from dirt or 
sand. It is very convenient to have partitions in the 
boiler, to keep the cocoons for each thread wound sepa- 
rated from the others. A strainer to fit into the boiler, 
is very useful, to remove the cocoons from the water, 
when the winding is stopped, and to take up the co- 
coons, and pick out the moths that the silk is wound off 
of, to prevent them from making the water foul. When 
a strainer is used, the partitions to keep the cocoons 
separate, should be in the strainer. The water should 
be changed at morning and noon, or oftener, if it ap- 
pears dirty or dark colored. All machines for winding 
should be so constructed as to lay the wet threads across 
the dry ones, so that if the thread breaks the end may 



56 

be readily found ; this crossing prevents the silk from 
sticking together, as there is always sufficient gum to 
stick the threads together. If they were wound round 
one thread, directly upon the other, and allowed to dry, 
it would adhere firmly, so that it would not separate 
without much trouble, and consequently be very difficult 
to manufacture, if it could be manufactured at all — 
hence the propriety of laying the wet threads across 
the dry ones. 

The weather has a great effect upon winding silk, and 
the clearest and dryest atmosphere is the best. The 
cocoons should be always perfectly dry when they are 
put into the water, and if the reeling is to be continued 
in moist or wet weather, the cocoons should be previ- 
ously dried, and put in bags made of thick cloth, and 
not taken out any faster than they are wanted to put in 
the water. The winding will not succeed in a strong 
current or draught of air, as the wind has a tendency to 
blow off or break down the fibres, as they run from the 
cocoons ; there should be a little whisp of broom corn 
procured, if it can be obtained ; if that is not convenient, 
a whisp made of some fine small brushwood will an- 
swer. 

Directions for reeliiig or winding Silk. 

To commence winding, fill the boiler with clean soft 
water ; heat it to near the boiling point ; then put in 
the cocoons, in quantities according to the size of the 
thread desired ; press them underwater with the whisp, 
so as to wet them all over alike. After they have soaked 
a few minutes, put the whisp in the water, and move it 
round among them, and as the fibres adhere to it, raise 
it out and take them off with the hand ; then put the 
whisp in again, and take out more. 

When a sufficient number are collected, pull them off 
and wind them round the hand, until they run free from 
tow ; then take them through the guides, and fasten 
them to the arms of the reel. Turn the reel, and see 
that the cocoons are all in proper order. The proper 
degree of heat for the water cannot be ascertained until 
■the winding is begun, as different parcels of cocoons 



57 

require different degrees of heat in winding-. Silk reeled 
for the American market, should be reeled from about 
twenty-five or thirty cocoons to a thread. As the fibres 
from the cocoons are much the largest, when the co- 
coon first begins to unwind, and diminish in size until 
it is all unwound, consequently, if the thread is kept 
even, or of a uniform size, there must be fibres from new 
cocoons added very often. If the machine is so con- 
structed as to give the thread a twist, as soon as it passes 
the first guide above the water, the fibres from new co- 
coons may be joined to the thread with very little trou- 
ble, and if properly joined, the thread will be so smooth 
that it will not show where they are joined. Any tow 
that may adhere to the fibres should be pulled off as it 
rises, or it will injure the quality of the sili<, and hurt 
the sale of it. Reeled silk, or raw silk, as it is termed, 
should always be allowed to dry upon the reel, and 
every machine should have two reels, so as to use one 
while the silk is drying upon the other. There should 
be a mark of some kind tied to the end, when the silk 
is taken from the reel, so that it may be readily found. 
When the silk is taken from the reel, it may be doubled 
twice, and a string of the refuse silk tied round, near 
each end of the skein, after it is doubled. 

Directions for manufacturing Tow or Floss. 

The tow or floss should be carded, just as the tow of 
flax is carded, and made into rolls, just as the tow of 
flax is made ; then they should be spun upon a large 
spinning wheel, such as is used for spinning wool. 
Care should be taken to begin at the right end of the 
roll, for if the right end is begun at, there will be no 
difficulty in spinning a fine even thread, and spun as fine 
as may be desirable. After it is spun it must be boiled 
in soap-suds, to take out the gum, as will be hereafter 
directed for sewing silk. 

Directions for manufactuy^ing theCocoons that arejier- 
forated by the Molhs^ and that cannot be wound off. 

They should be put into a bag and boiled, or rather 
simmered, in strong soap-suds, putting about one-tenth 



58 

or one-eighth of the weight of cocoons in soap, and 
water sufficient to cover them completely, and simmer 
them an hour, turning the bag over occasionally. They 
may be allowed to cool, then open the bag and take out 
one or two of the largest cocoons, (leaving the bag in 
the water ;) rinse and dry them. After they are dry, pick 
them to pieces, and if the gum appears to be entirely 
boiled out, so that when they are picked, they appear 
quite clear of gum, and as soft as raw cotton, the others 
may be rinsed and dried. But if they are not clear of 
gum, there must be more soap and water added, and 
simmered or boiled more. Take care not to boil the 
cocoons too much, for if they are boiled too much, it 
will make them tender. The cocoons must not be dried 
until they are boiled sufficiently, for if they are dried 
when partially boiled, it will harden the gum, so as to 
make them very difficult to boil soft ever afterwards. 
After they are boiled, dried, and picked, so as to appear 
like raw cotton, they may be spun, like flax, upon a small 
foot wheel ; it may be spun very fine, and make very 
handsome stuff, suitable for gloves or stockings. Some 
say that silk should never be boiled, either to take out 
the gum or in dying, but simmered, — as boiling has a 
tendency to make the silk flossy or raw. 

Directions for ^namifactiirin^' the Waste made in 
winding, or any other Waste. 

The waste is generally in strings, and it should be 
taken and cut into pieces about two inches long, then 
put into a bag and simmered or boiled in soap-suds, — 
about one-eighth or tenth of the weight of silk in soap ; 
boil it, so as to take out all the gum, and be careful not 
to dry it until the gum is all out ; — to determine when 
the gum is all out, manage it as directed in boiling co- 
coons ; — then it may be rinsed, dried, carded, and spun, 
like the tow of flax, but should never be mixed with the 
tow or floss silk. Those that want to make fine stuff of 
the waste, can make it into coils by winding it round their 
fingers ; then boil it in soap-suds ; after it is boiled pick 
it open, and spin it upon a linen wheel, like flax ; or cut 
the coils, and card it like tow, to spin upon the large 
wheel. 



59 



The patent Spinner and Tivisier, for making seiving- 
silk and twisty and to prepare silk for weaving. — - 
Invented by Jonathan Demiis, Jr. Furtsmouthfi. I. 

This machine is so constructed that one person can 
tend and operate it, and make sewing silk or twist di- 
rectly from the cocoons, and spin and double, and twist 
it at the same time, or prepare silk for weaving, so that 
after it comes from this machine it is ready to be clean- 
ed, and after it is cleaned it will be fit to put into skeins 
of white silk, or sticks of twist. The person who tends 
it, can turn it with their feet, while they tend the co- 
coons, and add fibres from new cocoons to the threads, 
so as to make them of a uniform size through their 
whole length with their hands. There is a fast and 
loose pulley for a belt, to carry it by steam, water, or 
any other power that may be applied. There is a cop- 
per boiler furnished with this machine, made with a cavi- 
ty under it for a fire, so that the water is over and up- 
on each side of the fire, consequently takes very little 
fuel ; this boiler has a zink strainer that will not rust, 
that fits into it to keep the moths from sinking, and to 
remove the cocoons from the water when the reeling is 
stopped, and to take up the cocoons and pick out the 
moths, to prevent their making the water foul, this 
strainer has partitions in it to keep the cocoons for each 
of the three threads spun by themselves. These partitions 
may be taken out when it is time to finish off' spinning, 
and as the threads become too small, one thread should 
be stopped, and added to the other two, and when the 
two becomes too small, one should be stopped and added 
to the other ; when those that are stopped are added to 
the others they should be added a small part at a time, 
so as not to make the thread uneven, when this be- 
comes too small it must be stopped, and the remaining 
cocoons taken out of the water and dried ; they may be 
put in again and finished off" when you have nearly done 
spinning the next time. To commence spinning, fill 
the boiler with soft clean water, and make a fire under 
it, when the water is near boiling, put in the cocoons, 
press them under water tu soak a little, then gather the 



60 




61 

fibres or ends, and take them up between the pointed 
wires and guide ; then take a small wire hook and draw 
them through the end of the spindle, take them along 
the tin cylinder and wind the end of the thread round 
the bobbin a few times, then drop it into a notch in the 
end of the cylinder, the two outside spindles and the 
middle one must be served in the same way. Then 
turn the crank up a little past the centre to the right hand 
if making sewing silk, and to the left if making twist, 
then press it down with your foot, and when it comes 
round and begins to descend press it down again, at the 
same time taking care of the cocoons with the hands, 
and as they wind off and the thread begins to grow 
smaller, new fibres should be added to keep the thread 
of a uniform size, which may readily be done by taking 
hold with both hands, and as the thread is twisted, as 
soon as it passes the first guide, put the right hand above 
the guide holding the left hand below, and breaking the 
fibres by raising up the right hand, at the same time 
pressing the thumb down against the thread, and that 
will unite the fibres thus broken to the thread, so that 
it will not show where they are joined. The pointed 
wires below the guides prevent the cocoons that get 
tangled, from being drawn up to the guide and the tan- 
gled fibres being twisted in with the others would break 
the end or thread of silk, sometimes the cocoons will 
rise up and unwind and then fall down again, but some- 
times they must be taken away with the fingers. The 
wires, to prevent cocoons from rising up to the guide 
and the thread being twisted as soon as it passes the 
guide, which enables the tender to join the fibres from 
new cocoons with the greatest facility, are two very 
important advantages that this machine possesses over 
all other silk spinning machines. When the bobbins be- 
come full, the bands are slipped off and the spindles 
taken out, and the bobbin taken off and an empty one 
put in its place. x\ little of the silk should be unwound 
from the bobbin that is taken off, and wound upon the 
empty one put in its place to commence again. The 
bobbins filled with spun silk, are put upon scewers, and 
set under the spindle box, and the threads from two, if 
making sewing silk, and from three if making twist, are 
6 



62 

put through the guide together, and pass over the top 
and round under the pulley, to make them both draw 
uniformly, then up over the glass rod into the end of the 
spindle and on to the bobbin the same as when it is spun, 
except it is twisted the other way. The little cop- 
per basin under the pulley, that the thread passes 
round, should be kept full of water, to wet the threads 
as they are doubled and twisted. When the bobbins are 
filled with silk that is doubled and twisted, then they 
are taken off and there is a small reel furnished with 
the machine that winds skeins of a proper size to sell. 
There is a small machine for making sticks of twist, 
that the purchaser can have if he wishes. When it is 
taken from the reel it may be cleaned and knotted into 
skeins or colored. There is attached to the machine a 
belt guide, that is operated by the foot of the tender,, 
when the machine is driven by steam or water power,so 
that a slight motion of the foot will stop and start the ma- 
chine at pleasure. Any person can learn to tend this ma- 
chine in one or two days ; it is very simple and not liable 
to get out of order in a great while with good usage, and 
any person with a little experience in tending it would 
be able to manage it themselves. The machine is 52 
inches high, 26 inches wide, and 31 inches long, and 
weighs when completed 100 lbs. Boiler and stove includ- 
ed. When turned by the foot will make 200 skeins of 
sewing silk per day, and if turned by water or steam 
power, they might make three hundred skeins of sewing 
silk per day, ready for cleaning. 

There was a gold medal awarded to the inventor for 
this machine, by the American Institute of New- York, 
in 1838. 



The patent Contra Twist Silk Reel, Invented by Jon- 
athan Dennis, Jr. of Portsmouth, R. I. 

This Reel possesses many advantages over the reels 
heretofore used, some of which are the following : it is 
turned by the feet of the tender, thus saving the labor 
of an additional person, and consequently leaves the 
hands at liberty to tend the cocoons ; it also enables the 



63 

tender to reel two threads at once. And if any disorder 
occurs, he can stop it instantly, by removing- the foot 
from the treadle to a lever by the side of it, also the 
persons tending the cocoons, turning- the reel himself, 
has it more completely under his own control, than if it 
was turned by another person. There is a twist given 
to the thread of silk reeled by two revolving tubes as 
soon as it passes the first guide ; this twist enables the 
tender to join fibres from new cocoons with the greatest 
facility, and thus keeps the thread of a uniform size, 
and the place where they are joined does not show in 
the thread reeled ; this twist escapes before the threads 
are wound upon the reel. The advantage of twisting 
the threads reeled, by running them through a revolving 
tube, is very great ; it saves much trouble and time 
when the reeling is commenced. And the threads are 
not half so likely to break in reeling ; if one thread 
breaks, it does not break the others, and should the 
thread break, it is not half the trouble to mend it that it 
would be, if the twist was given in the old way by run- 
ning one thread round the other. There is a set of 
pointed wires, that prevents the cocoons that do not un- 
wind freely, from rising up to the guide and breaking 
the thread. There is a copper boiler to this machine, 
with a cavity under it for the fire, so that the water is 
over and upon each side of the fire, consequently it takes 
very little fuel. This boiler has a zink strainer fitted 
into it, to prevent the moths from sinking, and to re- 
move the cocoons from the water when the reeling is 
stopped, and to take up the cocoons occasionally and 
pick out the moths to prevent the water from becoming 
foul and making the silk dark colored. To commence 
reeling, fill the boiler with clean soft water, and make 
a fire, heat the water to near the boiling point, then put 
the cocoons into it, press them under the water and let 
them soak a few minutes, then gather the ends from as 
many cocoons as will make the thread, of the size desi- 
red ; draw it up between the pointed wires and guide, 
and with a small wire hook, draw it through the tube, 
then through one of the guides in the traversing rail, 
and make it fast to the arm of the reel ; then with the 
foot turn the reel, and as the thread becomes smaller. 



64 




add to it, by gathering ends from new cocoons and join- 
ing them to the thread that is running. While it is in 
motion, take the fibres in the right hand and draw them 
up ; then take hold with the left hand, five or six inch- 
es below and break them, holding that part of the fibres 
between the guide, and breaking it by raising up the 
right hand, and pressing the part broken ofi!" down to the 
thread that is ruiin ng with the thumb, and that will join 



65 

them, so that the place where they are joined will not 
■show in the thread. When it is time to finish off reel- 
ing as the threads become too small, one must be bro- 
ken off, and the partition taken out of the strainer, and 
the fibres added to the other a little at a time, so as not 
to make the thread uneven. When this thread becomes 
too small, it should be stopped and the cocoons taken 
out and dried, they may be put in again and finished off 
when you have nearly done reeling tlie next time. — 
One person can reel more silk upon this reel, than two 
can upon any other reel heretofore used, and reel it as 
well in the same time. This reel is four feet high, two 
feet wide, and five feet long, and weighs about a hundred 
pounds, with the boiler, stove and all the apparatus 
complete, ready for reeling. This reel is very simple 
in its construction and not liable to get out of order with 
good usage. 

This reel is considered by those who have examined 
it, vastly superior to any reel heretofore used. One 
gentleman examined it last autumn, and has since been 
to France, and examined the French reel, and has re- 
cently returned, and told me he considered mine superi- 
or to the French. From the description he gave of the 
French reel, I should judge there must be a vast differ- 
ence between the French and the Piedmontese reel that 
was recommended by the National Silk Convention. — 
One of the committee of that convention, which was ap- 
pointed to recommend a reel, and recommended the 
Piedmontese reel, has since applied to me for one of my 
reels ; and also for a spinnner and twister. 

My reel does not make skeins of the same circumfer- 
ence that the Piedmontese reel does, but about 2 feet 6 
inches smaller ; some think that silk should be reeled 
60 as to make the skeins of the same size of the Pied- 
montese reel, so that the silk may suit the European 
market. It appears to me idle, to talk of sending silk to 
the European market when we have upwards of 20 silk 
manufacturing establishments at home, most of which 
are stopped, waiting for raw silk some part of the year. 
T have made my reels of a size that is best adapted to 
the American market ; and it is less labor to_reel silk in 
skeins 4 feet and 5 inches, than it is to make the skeins 
6* 



66 

6 feet 11 inches, for a reel to wind a small skein turns 
much easier than a reel to wind a large one, and it is 
also stopped much quicker when any disorder occurs. — 
I have inquired of the American silk manufacturers, and 
they prefer silk reeled of the same size that my reel 
makes to larger,as it makes less waste in manufacturing; 
and I have no doubt but that the European manufactur- 
ers would prefer it for the same reason. And as the 
threads cross shorter upon small reels than upon large. 
One silk manufacturer "said that he should rather man- 
ufacture such silk as I showed him that was reeled up- 
on my reel, for one dollar per pound, than to manufac- 
ture the imported for three dollars per pound upon a con- 
tract." Silk reeled upon one of these machiMes has 
been shown to some of the first manufacturers in this 
country,who pronounced it superior to the imported silk, 
and one of them sent a sample of it to Calcutta to see 
if any could be procured equal to it. 

It is my intention to put one of each of these machines 
in some one of the seed stores, in the principal cities in 
the United States. The demand for these machines is 
so great, that I do not expect to be able to supply the 
whole of this great nation. I am therefore very desi- 
rous to sell Slate, County, and Town Rights. And all 
orders for the above machines, answered in the same ro- 
tation in which they are received, all applicants will 
please to address the subscriber, postage paid. 

JONATHAN DENNIS, Jr. 

Portsmouth, Rhode Island. 

Directions for cleaning Silk, or boiling out the Gum. 

The skeins of silk should be tied in parcels of about 
half-a-pound each, except three small parcels, each of 
which should contain two of the coarsest skeins. The 
strings with which the parcels are tied, should be left 
very loose. Several of these parcels may be put in a 
bag, and the bag tied or sewed, so as to leave the silk 
very loose in the bag. Take one-tenth of the weight of 
silk, of white bar soap, (the rosin in brown soap is said 
to injure the lustre of the silk,) cut in thin slices ; take 
as much water as will cover the silk two inches deep ; 



67 

put the soap into the water, and heat it, btit not so as 
to boil. When the soap is dissolved put in the bags of 
silk ; heat it so as to simmer, but not to boil, violently, 
for one hour, turning the bag over once in ten or fifteen 
minutes. Some say silk should never be boiled to take 
out the gum, nor in dyeing, as it has a tendency to make 
it fuzzy or raw, but simmered. After it has simmered 
one hour take out the bag, open it, take out one of the 
small parcels of two skeins ; then put the bag into the 
kettle again. Cool the skeins taken out, rinse and dry 
it. After it is dry, if it appears perfectly free from gum 
and soft, the remainder may be taken out, cooled, and 
rinsed, in the same manner. But if the skein of silk 
dried is stiff and hard, and appears to have some of the 
gum remaining in it, it must be simmered again for half 
an hour ; then try it again, with one of the small par- 
cels ; if the gum is not all out after the second trial, 
dissolve some more soap in water, and add to it, and 
heat it for half an hour more. Jf the silk is dried when 
part of the gum is boiled out, it will harden the gum, 
and render it very difficult to boil out ever afterwards. 
Most writers recommend using one-fourth of the weight 
of silk in soap, but it is more than is necessary. Some 
boil the silk without putting it in bags, and use soft soap, 
but I should recommend putting it in bags, particularly 
if soft soap is used. Old soap should aU-ays be pre- 
ferred to new. 

Directions for stretching Silk to make it glossy. 

When the silk is nearly dry, after the gum is boiled 
out, it should be stretched. Make two round, smooth 
sticks of hard wood, twenty inches long, and two inches 
through. Bore a hole in a post, three feet from the floor ; 
put the end of one stick into it. Put about one-third 
of a pound of silk upon this, then put the other stick 
through, and twist as hard as the silk will anyways bear, 
and pull at the same time. Then loosen, and turn the 
silk one fourth of the way round, and twist as before, so 
as to twist the parts that were upon the sticks when it 
was first twisted. These sticks will be very useful in 
coloring, to wring out the dyestuff. After the silk is 
stretched, it is ready to knot into skeins, or to color. 



68 

Directions for Sizing Silk. 

Take a small piece of Isinglass, as big as half a dol* 
iar, and as thick as a ten cent piece, and dissolve it in a 
pint of water ; dip the silk into this, and wet it tho- 
roughly ; then dry and stretch it as before directed, and 
it is ready to knot into skeins. If you want the silk of 
a pearl, or bluish while, add a little indigo bluing to the 
size. As the difference in isinglass is great, it is diffi- 
cult to direct minutely, how much should be put to a. 
pint of water. But every one can mix, and try a skein, 
until he gets it right. If the silk is a little stiff after it, 
dry stretching will limber or soften it. Sizing is a great 
advantage to silk in using it, and it also adds to its 
weight, and improves its appearance, and should be ap- 
plied to colored as well as white silk. I suspect the 
difference between American and imported silk, is, in 
great measure, owing to the want of sizing, on the part 
of the American ; for the Americans put the best of 
stock into their sewing silk, which is considered an 
abominable waste by foreigners, who only put stock of 
an inferior quality, that is not fit to weave, into their 
sewing silk. The want of sizing upon American silk- 
makes it appear fuzzy, and when touched sticks to your 
fingers ; and, in working, it becomes more and more 
fuzzy, which is the principal complaint against it, for 
it is allowed to be the strongest silk in the world, and 
sizing remedies the fuzzing in great measure, if not en- 
tirely. 

Lace dyers make a sizing of gum Arabic, instead of 
isinglass, as the isinglass is very expensive ; or of isin- 
glass and gum Arabic together, and sometimes add loaf 
sugar, or sugar 9f lead, which adds to the weight, and, 
I should think, a small piece of tallow should be put in, 
for the same reason it is put into starch for lace caps. 
When the sugar of lead is put upon black, it is said la 
make it turn rusty, afler being exposed to the air. I 
should recommend to silk manufacturers, to try experi- 
ments in sizing silk, as it is of great importance to them. 

As the next pages contain receipts for coloring, I 
should recommend to inexperienced persons, who begin 



io color, to experiment with small parcels first, and in- 
crease as their skill increases. I am aware that almost 
every family possesses receipts, and are in the habit of 
coloring, but I thought the following would be accept- 
able. I have put several receipts for one color, so that 
the dyer might use the one, the materials of which could 
be most conveniently obtained. 

A few Dyes that are cheap, and may be used by any 
person thai wishes io color Small Parcels. 

One rule that should always be observed in dyeing is, 
the article to be dyed should be perfectly clean, and if 
washed with soap, it must be rinsed in soft water after- 
wards. Every article dyed should be thoroughly wet, 
before it is put into the dyestuff, to prevent its spotting. 
Always dry silk in the shade. 

Steep light colors in ear;hen, tin, or brass vessels, and 
set them with alum, if it is necessary to set at all. Sleep 
dark colors in iron, set the colors with copperas ; use it 
sparingly, as too much rots the silk. Hatters and apo- 
thecaries keep a compound of indigo and vitriol, known 
as blue composition. An ounce vial full costs I25 cents. 
It colors a rich blue. Ten or fifteen drops of ihe blue 
composition put into a quart of warm soft water, stir it, 
and strain it, if any settlings are perceptible — this will 
color a small quantity. If you wish a deep blue, put in 
more of the blue composition, (cotton colored in this 
would be ruined by the vitriol.) When the silk is per- 
fectly dry, wash it in cool soap-suds, and dry again to 
prevent the vitriol from doing any injury. If kept close 
from the air, without being washed, it would most likely 
be injured. 

To color green, color it, in the first place, a deep yel- 
low ; boil fustic in soft water, and it will make a bright 
yellow dye, but onion skins, barberry bush, saffron, or 
peach leaves, will do very well. Then take a quantity 
of strong yellow dye ; pour in a large spoonful of blue 
composition ; stir it with a clean stick, and dip the silk 
that is already colored yellow, into it. This will make 
a lively grass green. 

The blossoms of balm, steeped in water, make arose 



70 

color, but it is liable to fade ; if alum were put in, it 
might set the color, if done in tin or earthen. 

For straw color, steep saffron in earthen, and strain 
it ; this will make a deep or a delicate shade, according 
to the strength of the dye. Yellow may be colored as 
directed for green, by setting the color with alum, and 
leaving out the blue composition. 

To color purple, take the purple paper from loaf sugar ; 
put it in cider or vinegar ; boil it in iron ; add a small 
piece of alum ; this will make a fine slate or purple. 

A light-brown slate color — boil white maple bark in 
brass, and set it with alum. 

For Nankin, take a pailful of lye ; put in a piece of 
copperas, half the size of a hen's egg. This will make 
a fast color. 

A fine Nankin — boil birch bark in brass or tin ; set it 
with alum. To make slate color, use copperas instead 
of alum. To make a slate color, boil tea grounds in 
alum ; set with copperas. 

For black, put logwood in cider ; boil it in iron ; set 
with copperas. Another way, — boil rusty irons in vine- 
gar ; set with copperas ; or, substitute black ink powder 
instead of the rusty irons. 

To color black, dissolve a large table spoonful of cop- 
peras in two gallons water ; dip the silk in this solution ; 
stir it to prevent its spotting ; raise the silk out with a 
stick ; drain it a little, then put it in again ; this prevents 
it from being rotted. Continue this for half an hour, 
then take it out ; hang it to drain half an hour, then 
wash in soap-suds, and rinse in clean water. Take half 
a pound of logwood, tie it in a cloth or bag ; boil it in a 
gallon of water an hour and a half; take out the log- 
wood, and when the dye is near boiling hot, wet the silk 
and put it into the dyestufi'. Stir it ; raise the silk out 
of the dyestuff* often, let it drain a little, then put it in 
again ; continue this one hour, then boil it five minutes, 
take it out, hang it to dry ; when nearly dry, rinse it in 
cold water, wring it and dry it. Washing in soap-suds, 
after it has been in the copperas water, prevents it from 
smutting. 

To color purple, use alum instead of copperas, and 
make the rest the same as the last mentioned, except 
washing in soap-suds. 



71 

Logwood alone will color a light brown. 

To color scarlet. — For one pound of silk, take two 
gallons of water, make it boil ; add half an ounce of 
cream tartar, and half an ounce of cochineal ; boil it 
fifteeen minutes, then dip your silk, until the color rises 
to your wish. 

To color black. — For one pound of silk, take four 
quarts of yellow oak bark, boil it for three hours ; there 
should be two gallons of dyestuff after it is strained ; 
add four ounces copperas, and two ounces nutgalls, pul- 
verized ; boil half an hour, check it with one pint cold 
water ; put in the silk, keep the dye one degree below 
the boiling heat ; stir the silk in the dye five or six hours, 
that the color may be uniform. Take it up, cool, dry 
it in the shade ; the silk will then present you the color 
of dark olive. For the next, make a decoction of one 
pound of logwood, and dip your silk until it receives the 
color you desire ; the shade the dyer may ascertain, by 
-drying a few threads ; when of the shade desired, rinse, 
wring, but moderately, and dry it. Make of loaf sugar, 
in two quarts of water, brought half way to a boiling 
heat ; then dry, and it will be a shining jet black, that 
is permanent. 

For cinnamon. — For one pound of silk, boil half a 
pound of camwood that is ground, with two gallons of 
water, for fifteen minutes, in a brass or pewter vessel ; 
then dip, and carefully attend, that the silk may equally 
receive the color desired. After the cinnamon is ob- 
tained, a number of shades may be produced by adding 
copperas in small quantities, and dipping a number ot 
times. 

Saxon blue. — For one pound of silk, take two gallons 
of boiling water, add half a table spoonfull of the com- 
pound oil and indigo, stir them well, dip the silk and 
keep it moving for a few minutes ; take up, and if it is 
not sufficiently colored, add a little more of the com- 
pound, and so continue until the color suits your taste. 

Green. — Put two ounces of pulverized temerech, boil 
a few minutes ; add four ounces alum, after it is dissolv- 
ed, add half a table spoonfull of the compound of oil 
and indigo, stir it, then dip for fifteen minutes, take up 
and cool, and thus proceed until the color suits. If it 



T2 

require more yellow add temerech, if more blue increase 
the compound. The quantity of dyestuff used in color- 
ing green, must be governed by the discretion of the 
dyer. By the various proportions of the two materials, 
a variety of shades may be obtained. No good green 
can be obtained on silk without temerech. 

Olive brown. — Boil walnut, or yellow oak bark or fus- 
tic ; after the liquor has received the strength of the 
dyestuff, strain it, make it boil, then dip the silk, from 
time to time, adding a little copperas, or Roman vitriol ; 
for a light color make short dips. A variety of shades 
can be produced in this dye. 

Light browns. — Four quarts water, two ounces pul- 
verized nutgalls, boil it fifteen minutes, add a piece of 
alum, half as big as a walnut, let it dissolve, dip the 
silk fifteen minutes, add a little copperas, dip as before, 
and so continue until you get the color sought. 

Navy blue. — First dip for one hour one pound of silk, 
in a solution of four ounces of copperas to two gallons 
of water ; when dipping, have the dye hot. Then rinse 
and dip, in a decoction of logwood, until the color is to 
your wishes. 

Yellow. — For one pound of silk put four ounces of 
alum to two gallons of water, heat it till it nearly boils, 
dip the silk for one hour, take up, rinse clean, dip in a 
temerech liquor ; the quantity of dyestuffs must be in 
proportion to the shades required. By adding temerech 
and dipping, any variety of shade may be produced, 
from the straw color to the full yellow. 

Violet and orange. — One pound silk put into a pre- 
paration of alum, same as for yellow ; then make a dye 
of one pound redwood, or Brazil wood, boil it half a day. 
There should be two gallons of dyestuff, after it is 
strained ; make it nearly boil, put in the silk ; for a light 
color dip a short time, or longer, if for a full color ; stir 
the silk briskly when in the dye, that the color may be 
uniform. For violets, prepare half a pound of logwood, 
boil well, strain and cool ; dip the silk when the dyestuff 
is cool. At last, dip, in a weak solution of pearlash, 
while it is hot, to heighten the color ; rinse and dry. 
For orange. — After the silk has been dyed in the red- 
wood dye, make a new dye of two ounces pulverized 



73 

temerech ; boil a few minutes, dip the silk shorter or 
longer, to produce the shade sought for. 

To render hard water soft, enclose a pint of wheat 
bran in a bag, tie close, put it into ten or twelve gallons 
of water, boil it, take off the scum as it rises ; in this 
way water that is clean may be softened for washing or 
coloring. 

Jlfew short Receipts, 

Black. — 3 oz. copperas, 1 qt. yellow oak bark, 1 qt. 
alder bark, half a pound logwood, 3 galls, water. 

Navy blue. — For one pound silk, 2 oz. copperas, 6 
oz. logwood, 3 galls. water; cinnamon and London brown, 
half a pound camwood, 1 teaspoonful oil vitriol, 3 galls, 
water, add copperas to make the shade required. 

Saxon green. — 12 oz. fustic, 3 oz. alum, 3 galls, water, 
then add in very small quantities the compound oil and 
indigo, until the color rises to your wish. 

Scarlet. — 2^ oz. aquarfortis, 1 oz. cochineal, ^ oz. 
granulated tin, 2 drachms sal ammoniac, 1 drachm salt- 
petre, 1 teaspoonful of temerech, ^ lb. wheat bran, 3 
galls, water, 6 drachms cream tartar. 

Crimson. — 3 oz. alum, 1 oz. 1 dr. cochineal, i lb. 
wheat bran, 3 galls, water, 6 drachms cream tartar. 

Purple. — First make crimson, then dip in a good urine 
vat. 

Yellow. — S oz. alum, 3 galls, water, then dip in teme- 
rech liquor, until the shade you wish for is obtained. 

Remarks upon adding weight to Silk in Dyeing. 

As I have heard much complaint about American 
silk, on account of its being lighter than the foreign, I 
will here add a tew receipts for adding weight to silk in 
dyeing. 

To add weight to silk that is to be dyed Black, Take 
three fourths of the weight of silk in nutgalls, boil 
them to make a strong decoction, boil the silk in this 
decoction, and let it remain in it thirty-six hours, then 
wash and wring it. It is now so saturated with tan- 
nin, that it will be one quarter heavier than it was 
before. 

7 



74 



Another method. — Boil four pounds of sumach ; 
strain out the clear liquor in a copper kettle ; steep the 
silk in this ten hours ; heat it as hot as you can bear 
your hand in it. By so doing it will add one fifth to the 
weight. 

Browns, Olives, Greens, Yellows, and Drabs, may 
all be steeped in the same manner, but died different 
ways. 

For Brown. — Dye it first a buff, with annatto, with a 
moderate heat, then put the silk in sumach, and steep 
as above ; sadden with copperas, and use luke warm 
water; dry it where it is warm. 

For Olive. — Use the sumach, as above directed ; after 
that use logwood, fustic, and refined sulphate of indigo. 
If you wish to give the olive a brownish cast, add some 
archil ; dry it where it is warm. 

For Green. — Make use of alum, temerech, and sul- 
phate of indigo, at a moderate heat, and dry as above. 

For Yellow. — Use alum, and temerech, at a moderate 
heat. 

For Drabs. — Most shades are made yellow with teme- 
rech ; red, with archil ; blue, with refined sulphate of 
indigo, and dried where it is warm. 

For Slate. — Use sumach as heretofore, after that, 
archil, and a small quantity of alum, at a moderate heat ; 
dry as heretofore. 

To make silk glossy wring it very hard several 
times, changing the position of the silk upon the sticks 
every time. After it is dry, some stretch it upon a frame 
made so that the silk will go on loose ; then put in a 
stick and take a twist in the middle of the silk, just as 
the twist is taken in the cord, that tightens a saw frame ; 
after twisting it once, slip it part round, and twist it 
again, so as to be sure to twist it all. 

Concluding observations^ recommending the cultiva- 
tion of the JMulherrij and the growing of silk, to 
Farmers, Proprietors of Boarding Schools, and 
Town Officers generalhj. 

I think I have given sufficient reasons, in the fore- 
part of this treatise, to induce every cultivator of the 



T5 

soil, that can command the means, to begin the cultiva- 
tion of Mulberry trees, and the feeding of silk worms, 
if they have time to spare, aside from their other avoca- 
tions. For if they begin with a few cuttings, or a little 
seed, they can, in a few years, raise sufficient to stock a 
plantation. Some will say '* that the business will be 
overdone," but it appears to me impossible for the pre- 
sent generation to overdo it ; for from present appear- 
ances, the silk manufactories in this country are likely 
to stop for the want of raw silk — and, in fact, several of 
them are now partially stopped for the want of raw silk. 
I saw the agent of a silk factory from Massachusetts, a 
few days since, who told me that he was going to New- 
York and Philadelphia to buy raw silk. In a day or two 
afterwards I saw a silk manufacturer from Connecticut 
in New- York ; he said he had been to Philadelphia to 
buy raw silk, but could find none ; and, further, said 
there was none in the country for sale, and that he 
could not learn that there was any expected from 
abroad : and there is every reason to expect, that the 
manufactories will increase faster than the production 
of raw silk, so that for many years, the consumption of 
raw silk will exceed the production. And when the 
home market is supplied, the American silk will undoubt- 
edly take the preference in foreign markets, particularly 
the English market ; for owing to the peculiarly moist 
climate of England, all attempts to raise silk to any 
extent, have been unavailing. During the year 1830, 
England imported 4,693,517 pounds of raw silk, which, 
at six dollars per pound, amounts to $28,161,102, and 
the value of the articles manufactured from silk was 
$62,000,000. Although France is a silk growing 
country, she does not produce sufficient to supply her 
own manufactories ; but, it is well ascertained, thai 
she pays f 20,000,000 for imported raw silk ; and in 
1824, exported $18,000,000 worth of manufactured silk. 
J. D. Homergue, a French silk manufacturer, says, 
" I should suppose that assorted qualities of fine Ameri- 
can silk, (meaning raw silk,) well prepared, would bring 
on an average, in the European market, seven dollars a 
pound." He further says, " while in France I have 
seen letters from silk merchants, in which they said to 



76 

their correspondents in Piedmont, 'send us fine (raw) 
silk ; never mind five francs (one dollar) per pound, 
more or less ; but send us fine silk.' I think, (says J. 
D. Homergue,) I am not too sanguine, when 1 give it 
as my opinion, that the beautiful silk of the United 
States, when properly prepared, will be sought for with 
avidity, by the merchants and manufacturers of Europe, 
and that America will sell, at her own prices, as much 
of it as she can make." 

It appears, by the accounts that I have, that raw silk 
from China has been exported from this country to 
Mexico, and sold there at a great profit ; that is, it 
brought eight dollars per pound, although it is much in- 
ferior to the raw silk of this country. 

If the United ^States has not imported raw silk to a 
large amount, they have imported manufactured silk to 
a very large amount ; the importation in the year 1836, 
was f 2-^,980,2r2 ; only $762,730 were exported. 

I think that it will appear obvious, from the above, 
that it is very desirable that the middle and northern 
states should produce some article that can be exported 
to advantage, that will pay for part, if not for the whole 
of this immense amount of manufactured silk : and I 
believe that nothing else can be produced and exported 
to so great profit as raw silk, for almost every farmer 
can make twenty, thirty, or one hundred pounds of raw 
silk, without materially diminishing the other products 
of the farm. 

I am firm in the belief that the time is fast approach- 
ing, when a few acres of mulberry trees will be con- 
sidered as important an appendage to a farm, as an or- 
chard of fruit trees. And I wiU here suggest to land- 
holders who let farms, the propriety of their giving this 
subject the attention that it merits, as it will be likely 
to materially enhance the value of their farms, and in- 
crease the rents in the same ratio. I am aware that 
many farmers look upon the raising of mulberry trees, 
and feeding silk worms, as a mystery, but I believe the 
foregoing pages dispels the mist that has heretofore en- 
veloped the subject ; and shows every thing neccessary 
to be done, in a broad light, so that any person, who 
ean procure seed or cuttings, and silk worm's eggs, suf- 



77 

ficient for experiment, will need no other directions but 
what can be found in the foregoing pages. 

The Count Dondola says, ;he does not hesitate to 
affirm, that the value of silk in Italy, considered, as an 
article of exportation to foreign countries, is double that 
of all the other products taken together, and that there 
is no production of the earth, in the markets of Europe, 
in which of course he includes sugar, coffee, cotton, and 
all the rich productions of both hemispheres, which com- 
pared to its natural value or prime cost, offers to the 
producer a greater net profit than the article of silk. If 
then in Italy, the land of corn, wine and oil, the profits 
on exported raw silk (for I am not speaking of it in its 
manufactured state) are equal to double the amount of 
all the other productions of the Italian soil taken to- 
gether, it is evident that the same, if not greater advan- 
tages, must result to this country. 

In France, the current price of raw silk, whether 
made at home or imported from foreign countries, is 
from four to eight dollars per pound, according to the 
quality. Farmers need not hesitate for a moment, 
about the propriety of their stocking a few acres with 
mulberry trees, for if they have neither females nor chil- 
dren to pick the leaves and feed the worms, there will 
undoubtedly be numerous females, who will be glad to pick 
the leaves, and attend the worms, for a part of the pro- 
duct. In Connecticut the usual practice has been, for 
farmers who have trees, to give the girl one-half or one- 
third who picked the leaves, fed the worms, and reeled 
the silk, performing all the labor from hatching the 
worms to making raw silk, (that is, reeled silk,) and this 
too, when the worms were fed upon the white mul- 
berry. The quantity of silk usually produced by the la- 
bor of one girl in six weeks, was about ten or twelve 
pounds, worth sixty or seventy dollars, which would 
leave the farmer, if he gave the girl one-third and 
boarded her, forty dollars or more ; or if he gave her 
one-half, and she boarded herself, thirty dollars. If the 
leaves were to be gathered from theMulticaulis, instead 
of the white mulberry, the same amount of labor would 
produce double or treble the quantity of silk, and conse- 
quently would take only one-fourth, or one-sixth, to pay 
7* 



78 

the female employed to perform the labor, and of course 
would leave the farmer one hundred dollars. As the 
seasou for feeding- silk worms only occupies a few 
weeks in the hottest part of summer, I have no doubt 
that a great many children, between the ages of eight 
and sixteen years, that live in cities, or large towns, 
would be happy to go into the country for a few weeks, 
to pick leaves, and feed silk worms for their board. It 
would afford them a very pleasing variety, and be likely 
to improve their health, and promote their growth. And 
when they returned to their homes, they would be pre- 
pared to renew their studies with a renewed vigor, that 
would more than compensate for the time spent in the 
country. Farmers who have children of their own, can 
make their services very valuable by employing them in 
pickng leaves, and feeding silk worms, and it will be 
much more profitable than braiding straw (for bonnets,) 
or palm-leaf hats, and much more conducive to their 
health, than employment in cotton, woollen, or paper 
manufactories, as the largest portion of their labor 
would be in the open air. 

As the advantages of manual labor schools are becom- 
ing more and more apparent, and their superiority over 
others begins to be appreciated, I will here respectfully 
request the proprietors of boarding schools, and the trus- 
tees of literary institutions, to consider the propriety 
of adding a mulberry plantation and cocoonery to their 
respective establishments ; as I consider it would be at 
once a source of profit and instruction, and would tend 
to disseminate a practical knowledge of the business, 
and give it an impulse, that would be felt to the very ex- 
tremities of this great nation. And I hope ^the time is 
not far distant when such an addition, will be deemed 
neccessary, as a certain amount of exercise, in the open 
air, is essentially neccessary, for the health of the scho- 
lars, whether male or female. And it appears to me, 
that there cannot be any exercise more appropriate and 
useful, than picking leaves, and feeding silk worms. I 
will conclude these remarks, by suggesting to town 
officers, keepers of parish poor houses, and other estab- 
lishments where poor people are maintained, that the la- 
bor of picking leaves and feeding silk worms is admir- 



79 

ably adapted as an employment, for a large portion of the 
people usually put under their charge, and the products 
of their labor, if employed to the best advantage, would 
nearly, if not quite, pay the expense of their support. 



The TTorm and the Flower. 

BY J. MONTGOMERY. 

You're spinning for my lady, Worm, 

Silk garments for the fair ; 
You're spinning rainbows for a form 

More beautiful than air ; 
When air is bright with sunbeams. 

And morning mists arise 
From woody vales and mountain streams, 
To blue autumnal skies. 

You're training for my lady, Flower ! 

You're opening for my love 
The glory of her summer bower, 

While sky-larks soar above. 
Go, twine her locks with rose-buds, 

Or breathe upon her breast ; 
While zephyrs curl the water floods, 

The rock the halcyon's nest. 

But Oh ! there is another worm 

Ere long will visit her, 
And revel on her lovely form 

In the dark sepulchre : 
Yet from that sepulchre shall spring 

A flower as sweet as this : 
Hard by the nightingale shall sing, 

Soft winds its petals kiss. 

Frail emblems of frail beauty, ye. 

In beauty who would trust; 
Since all that charms the eye must be 

Consigned to worms and dust. 
Yet like the flower that decks her tomb. 

Her soul shall quit the clod, 
And shine in Amaranthine bloom 

Fast by the throne of God ! 



AN APPENDIX 



OF EXTRACTS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES IN RELATION TO 
THE TROFIT OF RAISING SILK. 



J. Danfodh's Letter to the Commitiet on Silk, Ameri- 
can Institute. 

Gentlemen : — 

The vast importance of the silk culture to our country, 
and the eagerness of the public to obtain information respect- 
ing it, make it the duty of every one engaged in producing a 
"silk crop," to furnish his quota of knowledge, that thus a mass 
of practical information may be collected, from which we may 
go forward with confidence, and gather in the rich harvest 
which is before us. 

With these views, and in compliance with the solicitation 
of my fellow-citizens, I give you the result of my experience 
during the past summer. I would first premise, that in making 
a trial of the silk culture, it was my desire to adopt a mode 
which could be followed by our agriculturists at large, rather 
than to show the greatest possible quantity of silk that could be 
produced from a given portion of land. Such an experiment, 
made under peculiar advantages of soil and culture, yielding 
a large product, might be viewed with admiration, but the 
means being beyond the reach of the mass of our citizens, the 
same results could not be attained. 

The field from which the experiment was made, was situated 
in East Hartford — the soil of a light sandy nature, of a quality 
termed, in that quarter, good corn land. It was ploughed 
about the middle of May, and harrowed and furrowed in the 
usual manner. The roots and frees (Morus Multicaulis) were 
now laid down, and covered from two to four inches, the tops 
having a slight upward inclination; they were placed about 
twelve inches apart in the row, the rows three and a half feet 
apart, having been previously moderately manured. 

After the field was planted, a section comprising one-eighth 
of an acre was marked oflf, to be subjected to a more particular 
experiment. It was stocked with 780 roots and trees, all of 



81 

one year's growth, having had their tops partially or wholly 
killed by the severity of Ihe past season. One-third were two 
feet high, one-third one foot, stripped of their limbs, and tlie 
remainder were roots without tops. By the 1st of June the new 
shoots began to show themselves, and by the 1st of July, they 
numbered 4,800, and had attained the height of twelve to 
eighteen inches. 

A family of 4,000 worms was now started which wound up 
on the 23d July, having consumed 131 lbs. leaves. Three 
other lots, amounting in all to 28,000, were now put out at 
iiitervals of several days, in order to favor the increasing 
growth of the leaves. By the 10th of September, the last had 
finished their labors. Weight of leaves consumed in August, 
701 lbs., and in Sept. 332 lbs. 

Total weight of leaves gathered, 1,164 lbs. 

Total number of worms fed, • • • • 32,000 

Producing nine bushels cocoons. 

Yielding (so far as reeled) 1 lb. of silk per bushel. 

Weight of cocoons, 95 lbs. 

Waste silk and floss, 1 lb. 

Twenty-seven thousasd of the worms were of the two crop 
kind, requiring 4,000 to make a pound of silk, and consuming 
144 lbs. of leaves. The remaining 5,000 were of the long 
crop, six weeks worms, 2,500 of which produced a pound of 
silk, and consumed 90 lbs. leaves. It was my intention to 
have fed ihe long crop worms entirely, as they are known to 
be much the most productiveof any other kind, but they could 
not be procured. 

Business now calling me away,the feeding was discontinued, 
and the trees were immediately removed from the ground, 
having attained an average height of four and a half feet, well 
rooted, and with heavy limbs. 

The produce of the one-eighth of an acre, as above, it ap- 
pears is 9 bushels cocoons, or 9 lbs. silk ; being at the rate of 
72 lbs. per acre, from the feeding between the 1st July and 
the 10th September. It is easy to see, that had the 1,164 lbs. 
leaves been fed to worms of the six weeks kind, the yield 
would have been 13 lbs. of silk, or nearly — and from the 
rapidity with which the new leaves were developing when the 
trees were removed, it is presumed that had they remained 
during September, enough more might have been added, to 
have swelled the product, so as to have made the crop at the 
rate of 125 lbs. per acre. 

During the period of feeding, the safety and even advan- 
tage to the tree of frequent defoliation was fully proved. The 
trees from which this experiment was made, were stripped of 



82 

their loaves four different times, yet at no time were they infe- 
rior to others that were untouched; on the contrary, it was 
remarked that where the leaves were removed the limbs shot 
forth with greater vigor — care being taken to leave the tender 
leaves at the ends of the branches. 

The very great advantage of this species of mulberry over 
standard trees, was manifest ; while such trees are difficult of 
access, and from the small size of the leaves, requiring much 
labor to gather any quantity, it was easy for a child to take from 
the Morus Multicaulis 15 to 20 lbs. in an hour. 

The plan of retarding the hatching of the eggs by keeping 
them in an ice house was found perfectly successful; the wornis 
which wound the finest cocoons were thus kept back until the 
£d of August. 

It may be useful to new beginners to know, that the large 
six weeks worm, either white or sulphur colored, is altogether 
preferable to the two crop; for, not only are they more pro- 
ductive of silk, but from their superior length of thread the 
reeler is able to produce silk of better quality, and with less 
labor. 

The convenience of a shrub tree, where the farmer wishes 
to change his crop, may be seen from the fact, that with the 
use of a plough, the trees on this section of land, 4,800 ia 
number, were turned out of the ground in 30 minutes. An 
hour more was sufficient to cart them from the field. 

Every one who takes up the culture of silk, is surprised at 
the ease and certainty with which it is produced ; and of this 
experiment it may be observed, that none of the persons who 
took care of the trees, gathered the leaves, or fed the worms, 
had ever seen a tree or silk worm before. 

£ am not acquainted with the comparative merits of the 
Morus Multicaulis, and other kinds of the mulberry; but large 
as has been the estimate of some cultivators, of the produce 
and value of the former, I believe its astonishing power of 
reproducing foliage, its tenacity of life, and the great ease with 
which it is multiplied, have never been overrated. A friend 
informs me that a field of roots, deprived of their tops last fall, 
remained in the ground during winter, and that from the new 
shoots, which started as early as any other vegetation, he was 
able to feed from one to two months earlier than from others 
planted the following May. From these collected facts, we 
may form an idea of the quantity of leaves, and the consequent 
weightof silk that may be obtained from the Morus Mullieaulis, 
when it shall have att!=iined greater age, even in this latitude. 

I am not able to name the cost of raising silk ; but an intel- 
ligent culturist of my acquaintance, from a proof of three 



successive years, rates it at $2 per lb. exclusive of the cost of 
trees and the tillage ; respecting the latter, I am of opinion 
the labor bestowed on a field of mulberry, i^ecd not be more 
than on a field of Indian corn. 

It appears, therefore, that nearly all the labor of raising silk, 
viz: plucking the leaves, feeding the worms, and reeling it 
into sewings, may be performed by the females of a family, 
and thus the product be considered a clear gain, like that of 
any other collateral branch of farming. The growing of silk 
needs but to be looked into, to be appreciated ; and if 100 lbs. 
can be produced the first year of planting, worth $5 the pound 
in raw silk, or $9, when in sewings, what other crop, it may 
be asked, can be named coming near it for profit ? 

1 will only add, gSHtlemen, that it is cheering to see the 
interest the American Institute has taken in this all important 
subject, and to express the hope, that the coming Exhibition, 
from our silk growers, and the increased patronage of the 
Institute, may give to it a fresh interest. 

Yours, respectfully, 

J. DAN FORTH. 

Hartford, Sept. 19th, 1638. 

To the Committee on Silk, American Institute. 

Gentlemen : — 

The accompanying sewing silk, three and a half lbs., is 
oflfered for exhibition at the coming Fair ; and you may con- 
sider me a competitor for the premium offered through the 
Institute in April. This silk was produced from l-16th of an 
acre of land, being one half the section named in the state- 
ment annexed. It should be remarked, that the cocoons (4 1-2 
bushels) from which it was produced, were sent some 40 miles 
to be reeled, and consequently were much injured so as to 
produce less silk ; and from haste in reeling (to prevent all the 
millers from eating out) is inferior in quality to what it would 
otherwise have been. Weight of waste silk and floss, 1 lb. 
Yours, respectfullv, 

J. DANFORTH. 

D. V. McLean^s Letter to the JYa'ioual Silk Con- 
vintion. 

December 13, 183S. 
Much doubt having been entertained by our farmers and 
others, whether the production of silk could be made profit- 
able in this country ,the Monujouth County Silk fl'^anufacturing 



84 

Company, of New Jersey, last spring offered a premium of 
eighty dolllars to the person who would produce the greatest 
number of pounds of cocoons from ihe sixteenth of an acre. 
In order in some measure to test the matter of profit, with 
reference to this premium, and anxious myself to see what 
could be done the first season, even by the most inexperienc- 
ed. I measured and planted with the morus multicaulis the 
sixteenth of an acre. 

The ground was laid off in a parallelogram form, about 
thirty by ninety feet. The soil was not rich ; and not more 
than two ordinary loads of manure, worth one dollar each, 
was put on the lot. I planted roots the growth of the previous 
season, in an upright form, in rows eighteen inches apart, and 
the trees about ten inches apart in the rows — twenty-three 
hundred and twenty roots in all. The ground was by no 
means suitable for trees, being a cold, heavy clay. They 
were accordingly small, not having attained an average of 
more than three feet the whole season. The roots were 
planted the 2v)th of April. In order to have the full advan- 
tage of the growth of the leaves, I intended to feed but few 
worms at a tin e, and have successive crops. 

On the lyth of June, when my trees were about eighteen 
inches high, my first eggs hatched ; the next hatched June 
26th, sooner thani expected or intended. Fearing I might 
get no more eggs to hatch, I fed about twelve thousand worms 
on the sixteenth. The trees being small, and the season ex- 
ceedingly drv, the leaves grew very slow. About a week 
before the worms spun, I took from the worms I was feeding 
on the leaves produced on the sixteenth of an acre, about five 
thousand, and borrowed and weighed the leaves to carry 
these through. To do this, required one hundred and forty- 
three pounds of leaves. The worms thus fed, together with 
a few hundred of the two crop variety fed late in the season, 
produced thirty-eight pounds and eleven ounces of cocoons. 
After deducting the proper amount for leaves borrowed, 
which, according to Count Dondola, is twenty-one pounds of 
leaves for each pound of cocoons, six pounds and thirteen 
ounces being deducted, I had from the sixteenth of an acre 
thirty-one pounds and fourteen ounces of cocoons. About nine 
pounds of these cocoons were the mammoth white, the ba- 
lance were the common sulphur, except about two pounds of 
the two-crop variety. I was entirely ignorant of the process 
of feeding when I commenced, and indeed of the necessary 
fixtures and accommodations for feeding to advantage. I fed 
them as much as they would eat, kept the hurdles clean, and 
the room well ventilated. The weather was exceedingly 



warm during the whole time of feeding, but the worms vyere 
remarkably healthy, and all wound in about thirty to thirty- 
four days. 

Now as to the matter of profit : if thirty-one pounds four- 
te. a ounces is produced from the sixteenth of an acre, then 
Jive hundred and ten pounds is produced from the acre. 

If the cocoons are worth forty cents per pound, which I 
presume is a low estimate, and if they are sold to the manu- 
facturers, then the proceeds of an acre will be §204. In re- 
gard to the expenses of feeding, I do not deem it necessary to 
enter into particulars; these, indeed, it is difficult accurately 
to estimate. They consist in interest on investment for trees, 
rent of land, and of cocoonery, and the wages of persons em- 
ployed in feedmg. In very many cases the whole expense to 
the farmer will be merely nominal ; the work will be done by 
children, or persons who perhaps would do but little else, and 
the rent of cocoonery would be nothing, for a barn, a shed, 
or a garret may be used, where little or no expense will be in- 
curred. But in any event, I regard it as certain that the ex- 
pense could not exceed at the rate of $100 per acre, which 
would leave a net profit of j^ 104 per acre. Now I would 
ask, can our farmers desire a better return than this ? Do they 
realise the one-half of this, as net profit per acre, from their 
very best lands, in any other agricultural pursuits ? And here 
let it be observed, the above is the result of actual experiment, 
and not merely calculation. It is a calculation founded on 
what I have actually done, and that others may do the same or 
even far more I have no manner of doubt, for there is no mys- 
tery whatever in feeding the worms; the whole art consists in 
keeping each day's hatching by themselves, in feeding as 
much as they will eat, in keeping them clean and well venti- 
lated, and with a good crop of eggs success is absolutely cer- 
tain. 

But I am pursuaded the net profits per acre may be safely 
put at double the above amount, viz: ^208. For, owing to 
the impossibility of procuring eggs, and to the fact that my 
worms were all fed before my trees had attained much more 
than half their growth, I did not feed half the worms which I 
had leaves to feed. In this opinion every judicious silk-grower 
who has seen my trees concur. But even if only ^104, net 
profit, can be obtained from the acre the first year, the 
amount in proportion which I actually produced, what may be 
reasonably expected the second, the third, the fourth, and the 
fifth years 7 So far as I am informed, it is allowed that the 
amount of foliage each succeeding year, while the trees are 
comparatively young, will be so much greater, that the. 
8 



grower can feed at least one third more each year than were 
fed on the same trees the preceding year. The net profit 
then will be, after a very large allowance for expenses,, Jirst 
year, ^104; second year, $VS8 66; ihird year, ^184 88; 
fourth year, ^246 60 ; and the ffth ijcar ;j328 56. 

But another view of the subject may be taken, when the 
net profit per acre will be much larger tlian the above. Every 
grower ought, and undoubtedly will, ultimately reel his own 
cocoons, instead of taking them to the manufacturer to be 
reeled. My own experience in reeling, convinces me that 
there is really no great difficulty in reeling the cocoons. A 
little experience will enable any one to do it with ease and fa- 
cility ; and if the ^q;rower reels his own cocoons, his profits per 
acre will be at least one-fourth more than the above estimate 
or calculation. That is, the net profit per acre will be, the 
first year, ^ 130 ; the second year, ^'173 32 ; the third year ^'231 
10 ; the fourth year. ^'308 12 ; and the fifth year, ^410 70. 

The above estimates, I know, are much bduw the estimates 
of many writers on this subject ; but 1 am aware that even 
these will appear large to those whose minds have been but 
little turned to the production of silk ; and the tery fact that 
the profits are represented a? being so large may make many 
persons incredulous. But why should it have such an effect? 
A new road to wealth is just opening. It is as yet, indeed, in 
a great measure untried, but " hojte dawns auspicious, and 
promises that the day and its briglitness shall be ours." I 
would not endeavor to pursuade a single individual in the 
community to engage in this enterprise, if 1 did not believe he 
would reap a most liberal reward for his expenditure and la- 
bor. With a climate and soil as congenial to the mulberry 
and the silk worm as any on the globe ; with an annual con- 
sumption of not far from $25,000,000, and this constantly in- 
creasing, and with a population as enterprising and ingenious 
as any on earth, how can we fail of success ? Less than fifty 
years since we were just commencing to grow and manufac- 
ture cotton. Now it has advanced from nothing to be a prin- 
cipal source of our national wealth, though confined to less 
than half the Union. And I appeal to the intelligence of 
every reflecting man, is it not more probable now, that in forty 
years to come silk will be a great national interest, than it 
was forty years since that cotton would be now such an inte- 
rest ? 

No enterprise could ever be commenced under more favor- 
able ciicumstances. The acts of Congress and of the Legis- 
latures of many of the States show that they regard with inte- 
rest and favor the introductioii of this new branch of indus- 



87 

try. A few hundred dollars will furnish a sufficient stock of 
the raorus multicaulis to make a beginning, and such is and 
Avill continue to be the demand for these trees, that a part 
may be sold the lirst season to defray the original cost, and if 
success should not equal expectation, nothing is lost. Because 
I wish my fellow-citizens more prosperous and happy, and be- 
cause I believe the production of silk in this country is des- 
tined, at no distant day, to add more to individual and nation- 
al wealth, and to the glory of the republic, than any enter- 
prise in which, as a people, we have embarked for the last 
age, I commend to them this subject. 

D. V. McLEAN. 
Freehold, N. J., Decembers, 1838. 

Cliauncey Stone^s Letter. 

Burlington, Sept. Sd, 1838. 
Messrs. Editors, — 

My last hatching of silk worms for this season, the pro- 
duct from about three ounces of eggs, have now nearly finish- 
ed their course of eating, and all beginning to spin their co- 
coons. As the present time a[)pears to be a new era in the 
silk culture in this country, and the retarding the eggs from 
hatching to this late day in the season, being something new, 
and not even recorded in the histories of the oldest silk grow- 
ing countries in the world, I will give a sketch of the manner 
I kept my eggs, and the management of the worms. During 
last winter my eggs were kept in a dry cellar, suspended to 
the timbers overhead, to secure them from the mice, and about 
the first of 31arch I took them from the cellar to put in the ice 
house. I rolled up the cloths and papers on which the eggs 
were deposited, and put them into glass and stoneware jars 
and tied bladders over the tops. The jars I put in a wooden 
box, which was enclosed in another box, larger, leaving a 
space about three inches, which space [ filled with pulverised 
charcoal, taking special care to put coal in the bottom between 
them. These boxes I placed in the ice house on the ice, and 
covered them over with straw. As often as once a week I 
took the eggs out of the jars to see how they were keeping, 
and of course aired them, and then placed them back as before. 
I regret T did not find the temperature the eggs were in, but I 
think it must have been about forty degrees, and perhaps a 
little above that. Several times during the summer I took 
out eggs to hatch, and found they were keeping well. The 
twentieth of July I took out the last of my eggs, about three 
ounces, and the weather being excessively warm, I first kept 



them in my cellar fonr or five days, and then in a cool room 
in my house two or three days more, when I took them to the 
cocoonery, and on the 31st of July, and on the Jst and 2d of 
August, they hatched. The few that hatched on the fourth 
day I considered weakly, and did not save them. I took 
special care that each day's hatching were selected by them- 
selves. I separated the young worms from the unhatched eggs 
by laying strips of leaves on them, on which they would im- 
mediately crawl to eat, when I moved them generally on 
newspapers, which I placed on the shelf I fed them on the 
papers the first week with the leaves cut quite fine, which I 
sprinkled on the young worms, but they would soon get on 
top of them, and eat such parts as they liked. After the first 
week I changed them from their places by laying a net work 
frame gently on them, and sprinkled the leaves on the net 
work, when they would come up through the interstices to eat, 
and after being fed two or three days, there would be a kind 
of mat formed from the refuse part of the leaves, so the net 
work could be raised with the worms. The litter beneath was 
removed, and the frame again laid upon the shelf, and after 
that I continued to change them every two or three days, with 
the net work, until the present time. I cut the leaves during 
the whole time of feeding, but much the first, when the worms 
were small. If ed them every two hours during the day, first 
quite early in the morning, and the last time between sundown 
and dusk, and they would eat as well during the warm nights 
as in the day time. Silk worms eat abnut half an hour at a 
time, and then rest about as long, when they again commence 
eating; so, during such warm, dry weather as we have had 
the present summer, they should have fresh leaves often. 
When the weather was warmest I wet the floor of the cocoon- 
ery every day ; kept the cocoonery clean from litter, and gave 
the worms all the fresh air I could, being careful to observe 
that the draught was not sufficietitto blow them from the hur- 
dles. And now I have the pleasure to say they have been, 
daring their whole course, as active and healthful as any I 
ever saw. I have not .seen a sickly worm, save by accident 
one happened to get hurt. I have fed them wholly on the 
leaf of the Morus Multicaulis, and am fully convinced we 
have no leaf better suited to the taste of the silk worm. 

There may yet be a question whether the mulberry leaves 
are as nutricious for the silk worm at this time of year as 
earlier in the season. I think they are not. 
Yours, respectfully, 

CHAUNCEY STONE. 



89 



Timothy Smithes Letter to the Editor of the Yankee 
Farmer. 

Dear Sir : — 

- As I have been engaged for several years in the 
business of growing silk, I am of course particularly interested, 
and also feel interested for those who may be engaging in the 
same. I therefore offer for communication in your valuable 
paper, the following as the result of my experience : 

I have fed worms to some extent for the seven past years ; 
at the first the business was perfectly new, and therefore, I had 
everything to learn from experience; and I have ascertained 
to my own satisfaction, that being supplied with mulberry trees 
which will produce both early and late food, the time to com- 
mence hatching the eggs is the 1st of June. I commence, 
therefore, as soon as the leaf begins to unfold, which is gene- 
rally the first week in June, by exposing a quantity of eggs to 
the air ; and I continue to expose them for hatching, every ten 
days, until the first of August; in this way I have successive 
cropp, which will take the feed as it grows, and also require 
about the same amount of labor through the season, which is 
far preferable to having a large crop of worms which at first 
will require but the help of one or two, and at the last age, 
require twenty or more. When the worms begin to appear, 
which is generally early in the morning, I place on them tender 
leaves, to which they will soon adhere ; I then draw them off 
on a paper and keep each day's hatching by themselves, plac- 
ing the day of the month upon the paper. For a cocoonery, 
almost any out-building will answer the purpo:-e. I build my 
shelves in a simple manner, by making use of two inch scant- 
ling for posts ; 1 nail on slats to receive the shelves, one foot 
apart, giving them four feet in width at the bottom, making 
each shelf two inches narrower as I ascend, tSiat the worms 
falling from one shelf may lodge on the next below. We re- 
move the worms from the litter immediately after the first, 
second, third and fourth moultings, and also when they are 
ready to wind their cocoons, we remove them to shelves 
prepared. After trying the various methods in use for the 
accommodation of the worm to wind, we experimented with 
straw in various ways, and as the result of osjr experience, 
found that the best method for using it, is, to cut lye straw one 
inch and a half longer than the distance between the shelves, 
tying it in bunches of some twenty in a bunch, f ;;m one to two 
inches from the bottom; placing them betweei! the shelves 
and spreading them at the top. I have practicijd putting up 
straw in this way the two pust seasons, and find the worms 
8* 



90 

will wind in them very readily, and the cocoons are gathered 

with the greatest ease and neatness. VVith regard to reeling, 
I consider it important that the cocoon should be reeled before 
it becomes necessary to stifle the chrysalis — for this reason : 
they will yield more silk, and it is stronger and more nice. I 
practiced reeling in this way tlie two past seasons, and there- 
fore judge for myself, 

I off.r thi«i for publication for the benefit of those who are 
going into the business of growing silk and who have had no 
experience. 

Respectfully yours. 

TIMOTHY SMITH. 

Amhhrst, (Mass.) Dec. 2d, 1838. 

A proof of the short time required to realize the pro- 
fit from planting J\Iulberry Trees and Jeeding 
Silk Worms. 

A circnm>tnnce which shows the short space of time re- 
quired to re.ilize a crop of manufactured silk, from the Chi- 
nese, or Moras Multicaulis mulberry, came under my notice 
last sea'^on, viz : Messrs Cheney, of Manchester, Ct., raised 
silk at the rate of fifty pounds to the acre, from trees planted 
by layers, the same spring, say in the month of May, which 
produced silk at the above ratn in October, and manufactured 
by me, made a beautiful article of soft, strong, even sewinsr 
silk, and put into the market a finished article, in the space of 
seven months from the time the trees were planted ; thus 
proving that it is not necess'ry for the farmer to wait several 
years for his trees to grow, before he can realize any profits, 
as has been the general impression. This tree is cultivated 
annually, as we do a crof) of corn, or by leavinir the roots in 
the ground in the manner the sugar cane is cultivated. 

New E. Farmer. 

LEMUEL COBB. 



From the Northampton Courier. 

Silk for Domestic Purposes. 

In many families there are individuals who are in feeble 
health, or who have had the misfortune of a dislocated or broken 
bone, who suifer more or less in variable weather and by 
langor or pains, can anticipate the approaching storm with a 
degree of acnuracy that cannot be mistaken. Physicians in- 
form us, that this sensation is occasioned by the escape of that 
portion of electricity which is absolutely necessary for the 



91 

healthy condition of the body — and as silk is a non-conductor 
of electricity, medical writers recornraend its use in every 
possible way, as an over dress to cotton or flannel shirts and 
drawers. In this way it may be made to pi-event or alleviate 
pectoral or consumptive affections, rheumatism, inflammatory 
fevers, indirect debility, and that langor so oppressive to per- 
sons of feeble health. A coarse quality of silk, similar to the 
pongee silk, so called, will answer very well for such purposes, 
and being strong and stout, will do good service. Silk of such 
quality might be manufactured in the domestic household, 
and the culture of the mulberry and the manufacture of silk; 
may be attended to in almost any family, without interruption 
to other occupations, not only as a lucrative business, but also 
to prevent or alleviate a variety of pains which flesh is heir to. 
This sul)ject is becoming so important to the community, and 
can be undertaken with so little expense, that it merits the at- 
tention of every family, to begin a nursery of mulberry trees 
without delay, and the first or second year may commence 
feeding the worms, and manufacturing silk, even upon our 
common reels, wheels, and looms. Because there are large esta- 
blishments in contemplation and progress, for the manufacture 
of silk; some have thought thesi^' companies would discourage 
the domestic manufacture, but instead of discouragement, it 
ought to operate as a stimulus to family culture ; because if 
families do not wish ttf manufacture their own silk, they can 
have a ready market for the cocoons. It is expected, and 
with a good degree of probability, that the time will come, 
when our families will not only manufacture, but that they 
will dress themselves with silk of their own make, with as 
little expense as they now clothe them in wool and flax. 

Communicated by J\Tr. Havvey Clark, a respectable 
inhabitant of J\IansJieldj Conn. 

Mr. Clark is the proprietor of two acres of land in Mansfield, 
of which, about half an acre is covered with mulberry trees. 
He has made annually from these trees, about 35 lbs. of raw 
silk, which for the last year or two, has been reeled in the 
improved method. The leaves have usually been gathered 
and the worms fed for the first three weeks by Mrs. Clark, 
and a young woman who lives in the family. After the first 
three weeks. Mr. Clark also devotes himself entirely to the 
business. The silk has been reeled exclusively by Mrs Clark, 
and the young woman above alluded to, at the rate of about 
one pound and a half a day. Daring the w^hole of the s'lk 
season, they have also had the care of a family of eight small 



92 

children. Mr. Clark has sold his raw silk this year, at four 
dollars per lb., and has also received a premium of 50 cts. per 
lb. from the State Treasury. We have reason to believethat 
the same silk m\gh\. have been sold at Lyons, or to silk mer- 
chants at New-York, for five dollars per lb. Mr, Clark's mul- 
berry trees are forty or fifty years old, and of a large size. 
They have been manured and cultivated with great care for 
the last fifteen years. Mr. Clark thinks that an acre of land, 
covered with trees, equal to those on his land, will yield 
about 70 lbs. of silk a year. His silk house or cocoonery, is 
fifty feet long and sixteen feet wide, and one story or about 
eight or ten feet high, not lathed or plastered, and may have 
cost ^150 or ^'200. He has never had occasion to warm his 
cocoonery, as is practiced in Italy and France ; indeed, this 
has never been done by any of the silk growers at Jlansfield. 
Mr. Clark informs us, that at the Silk Factory in Mansfield, 
reels are now propelled by water power. A very small 
amount of power answers the purpose. Improved reels are 
now made by several mechanics, who live either at Mansfield, 
or in the vicinity. Mr. Clark states, that his mulberry trees 
have been greatly improved by careful cultivation. We have 
shown Mr. Clark, a statement in the last number of the Culti- 
vator, of the profits made by Mr. Carrier, of France, from an 
acre of mulberry trees. He thinks that the statement is pro- 
bably not exaggerated, and that an acre of well cultivated mul- 
berry trees, at Mansfield, would yield a larger amount of silk. 

Interesting Fact. 

A few years since, a fanner purchased a farm in the town of 
Mansfield, on which were standing twelve mulberry trees of 
full growth. Not being accustomed to the business of making 
silk, he supposed them to be of no more than the ordinary 
value of forest trees for fuel . A neighbor, however, soon call- 
ed upon him, and agreed to pay him twelve dollars annually, 
for the privilege of picking the leaves. The farmer, to his 
astonishment, found that the twelve mulberry trees were as 
good to him as ^200, at six per cent interest. 

■ Bark Silk. 

The inquiry is often made how the silk worm can, by the 
same processj' make and spin silk o^ a fabric almost too mi- 
nute and delicate to be perceived by the natural eye, and a 
coarse hempen like thi-ead, commonly called bark silk. The 
only true answer to this question is it cannot. The bark silk 



63 

is not the product of the worms but of the tree. It is the 
bark of the Italian mulberry which is composefi of fibres like 
the coat of hemp, Hax, &c. The discovery of this fact was 
the result of an accident, an account of which may be found 
in an old French book entitled " Theatre d' Agriculture," 
written by Oliver de Serves and published in 1600. It was 
previously known that the bark of the mulberry, peeled off 
when the tree is in sap, would make cords and ropes, like the 
bark of the linden or lime tree, but it was not known that the 
fibres were fine enough to be carded and spun into a thread 
suitable to be wove into a fabric. 

The writer having separated some of the bark from the 
wood for this purpose, he laid them on the top of his house 
for the purpose of drying, from which they were blown off by 
the wind and lodged in a ditch. Some days after they were 
taken out, washed and wrung out, when he discovered it to 
be made up of fine fibres, like silk or fine flax. He then beat 
the barks with a club, to separate the upper part, which going 
off, in dust, left the stuff tractable and soft. It was afterwards 
carded, spun and woven into cloth. The manner of prepar- 
ing it is similar to that of hemp or flax by rotting and dress- 
ing. 

An Error Corrected. 

1 have often heard it asserted, that no other insect, except 
the silk worms, will eat mulberry leaves ; this I know to be a 
mistake, for I have removed catterpillar's nests from mulberry 
trees and have also found span-worms upon them, and I have 
no doubt but that they are eaten by some other insects. 

J. DENNIS, Jr. 

Qnalitij of American Sill\ 

During a late interview with a very intelligent Riband 
weaver, from Coventry, England, we showed him a speci- 
men of American raw silk, reeled by an experienced reeler, 
and he pronounced it, in respect to strength, altogether supe- 
rior to any European or Imiia silk he had ever woven in his 
native country. He remarked that he had never seen silk of 
equal strength of fibre, and had no doubt that he could weave 
from it double the quantity of ribands that he could from the 
silk ordinarily used by the riband manufacturers of Coventry. 
This speaks volumes in favor of the quality of American silk, 
especially such as is growed in the northern latitudes. The 
cocoons, from which the silk was reeled, were made on the 
cold mountains of Litchfield county, Conn. 



94 

White JSIidhemj. 

Experience and observation have demonstrated that the 
shade of JMulberry trees is not injurious to the growtii of grass, 
grain, or any other vegetable. This is an important discovery 
and argues powerfully in favor of the means of raising silk. 

I would advise with humble deference, that every farmer 
procure mulberry seed from a nursery, transform all his fences 
into mulberry hedges, and plant standard mulberry trees along 
all those hedges, half a rod distant from each other. A farm 
of a hundred acres, fenced as above advised, would, in a few 
years, yield from the fences a crop worth several hundred dol- 
lars ! These fences would be as cheap as any other a farmer 
could erect ; would require no repairs, no renew^al, so that all 
the produce arising from the leaves would be a clear profit. 
One hundred poundsof leaves would produce, in this country, 
one pound of reeled silk, if judiciously fed, worth from four to 
seven dollars, the price being governed by the good or bad 
reeling. A single tree, will produce from thirty to sixty 
pounds of leaves, depending on the growth of the tree, .&c. 

From the Fanner and News -Letter. 

To Farmers. 

Begin with the year, gentlemen, and take a paper devoted 
to agricultural improvement ; lei those be patronized who la- 
bor to promote your interest. It is too often the case that 
those journals which are of a peaceful nature, and well calcu- 
lated to benefit the farmer and his family, by making their 
business more profitable and pleasant, are neglected by the 
very persons who should give them a cordial support, while 
other works are read with avidity which stir up strife, and 
keep the community and families in a turmoil. Your calling 
is peaceful, and you want peace in all your borders; you want 
useful journals which will enlighten you in your pursuits, and 
afford valuable instruction to your sons and daughters, that 
they may be contented and happy while with you, and their 
minds stored with that knowledge which shah render them 
useful members of society and a blessing to their parents. 

Let farmers awake to their own interests and to the welfare 
of their families, and not be afraid to pay a few dollars a year 
for papers that will repay them tenfold, and beget in the minds 
of their children an interest in, and love for the most honor- 
able, pleasant, and sure of all pursuits that ever engaged the 
attention of man. 

Do not, like many fathers, fret before your children : always 
ha,rpiug on your hard lot because you are farmers, and wish- 



95 

iug you had been a mechanic, a minister, a lawyer, a doctor, 
or a merchant. All these are well in their place, but they 
have troubles that ye know not of. I say do not by such an 
imprudent course induce your sons and daughters to rush to 
the cities of noise and bustle, to turn merchants and milliners. 
If you do, remember, in case they become miserable, degrad- 
ed beings, as thousands have for want of experience when 
they exchange the country for the town, that your own re- 
pining has been a great cause of their ruin. Uneasiness and 
fretful complainings of this kind have been the means of ruin- 
ing both the souls and bodies of some of the most lovely 
youth in our country. 

Your daughters should be taught the pleasures of rurallife, 
that show and fashion is not happiness, but the reverse — that 
there is no place of more happiness than the fireside of the 
farmer, that no employment is more pleasant, useful, or honor- 
able than domestic industry. Here they can display their 
talents, ingenuity, and taste with pleasure and profit. Let 
them be encouraged in the cultivation of plants and flowers; 
tiiis will be an innocent amusement that will tend to improve 
them in industry, economy, neatness, love of order and good 
taste. If they are enterprising and anxious to earn money, let 
them raise silk. In some parts of New England the females 
of a single family raise several hundred dollars worth annual- 
ly, and it requires but a small part of the year. 

Begin then with the year, and take a paper that is devoted 
to the science and practice of agriculture ; take an increased 
interest in your business, and show your sons that there is no 
business more honorable, none more sure to aflbrd a good liv- 
ing, and none more conducive to health, happiness, and inde- 
pendence. Show them that the business of farming is becom- 
ing morea nd more profitable, pleasant and easy, from the 
great improvements that are making in labor-saving machines, 
improved methods of culture, and new and valuable produc- 
tions. If they have superior talents, here is a chance for exer- 
cising them to advantage. 

I have much to say to you, and thought best to begin with 
the year, but I will close this number by telling you what a 
farmer said to me. " Sir, I was very unwilling to pay the 
usual price of a paper on farming, in advance, thinking it 
Avould be of little or no use ; but the year is ended, and each 
number has been worth to me one dollar, in my farming af- 
fairs, besides that, my wife and children have received much 
useful information, and I would not stop it on any account." 

A Farmer's Son. 

January 1, 1838. 



96 

From the Ladies Magazine. 

Remarhs on the Culture of Silk. 

At a time when so many are complaining of their disappoint- 
toents and troubles ; when the depression in commerce, and 
total failure of domestic manufacturers, are felt so severely by all 
classes of community, duty, no less than inclination, should 
prompt every good citizen to point out such means of relieving 
existing- inconveniences, as may ofler themselves to his thoughts. 
Actuated by a desire to awaken an interest for a branch of in- 
dustry, by which thousands around us might acquire, to say 
the least, a comfortable subsistence, we would call the attention 
of the readers of the Ladies' Magazine to a few observations on 
the culture of silk. 

Our remarks are addressed particularly to the Ladies, not 
only because so much depends upon their influence in advancing" 
an object of domestic employment, even if its uscfuhiess be uni- 
versally acknowledged, but because, by an hereditaiy sanction, 
they should be the promoters af this desirable object. 

The best arguments which can be oitered of the estimation 
with which the manufacture of silk was regarded centuries 
since, are the eflforts that were made by several nations to render 
themseh^es acquainted with its culture, and the enormous sums 
expended for it when practicable to be procured ; and also, the 
vigilance with which its cultivators, for so long a time, conceal- 
ed the nature even of the material. 

The first knowledge we have of the cultivation of the silk 
worm, and the manufacture of silk, was among the inhabitants 
of Serica, the northern part of China, from whence it derived 
its name. 

As early as 2700 years before the Christian era, an empress 
of China, desirous of rendering silkworms more- extensively 
useful than they had been, collected them from mulberry trees, 
and having them conveyed to her dwelling, not only with much 
assiduity, furnished them with their appropriate food, and re- 
gulated the temperature in which they were placed, but also 
directed her household in what manner to manufacture the ma- 
terial from the cocoon. This employment, although at first 
confined to ladies of the hignest rank, gradually became general 
among females ; and after a number of years all classes were 
clothed in silk. As the manufacture increased, it became an 
article of exportation to the neighboring countries. 

And so great was the demand for this substance, that the 
merchants of Serica, instead of travelling into Persia, merely to 
traffic, journeyed even to Syria and Egypt ; and although two- 
thirds of a year were often occupied in these expeditions, they 
found themselves amply repaid. 

Persia, by prohibiting foreigners from passing to China, 
through her territories, was enabled for centuries to monopolize 
a great part of the silk trade. And it was not until this king- 
dom was overruQ by the armies oi Alexander, tha,t the product 



97 

of the silk worm was carried as far west as Greece. From this 
last country, silk was sent to Rome ; here it was worn for a' 
long- time by the most wealthy ladies only, but it was, however, 
combined with other materials. A Roman Emperor, in the 
year 218, is said to have been the first who wore a garment en- 
tirely of silk — and fifty years after, this article was of the same 
value as gold. 

Although repeated attempts were made by succeeding em-' 
perors to form a more direct intercourse with China, than 
through Persia, and the different nations of Eastern Africa, 
were urged to distract the trade from Persia, by bringing silk 
themselves from China, and selling it to the Romans, all their 
endeavors to satisfy the demand for silk were unavailing. 

At length, two monks, who had been travelling in China, 
made known to Justinian, at Constantinople, that this precious 
product was the secretion of a caterpillar — together with the 
means of rearing the worm, and manufacturing the silk. Per- 
suaded by the offers of an immense reward, they returned to 
China, and by concealing the eggs of the worm in their hollow 
staves, returned in safety with them to Justinian. Thus, in 
the year 555, Europe became possessed of the means of raising- 
silk. 

It seems almost incredible, that the secret should have been 
so long a time kept inviolable by one people. This we conclude 
to have been the case ; for although, by the conquest of Persia, 
silk was obtained, we do not learn that the worm was found. 
Had not the penalty of death been attached to its disclosure, 
a knowledge of it would undoubtedly have sooner been ascer- 
tained. 

As in China, so also in Greece, ladies of the greatest distinc- 
tion attended to the rearing of silk worms, at their introduction 
there. For upwards of four centuries, the cultivation of silk 
was confined to the countries of Greece; Sicily and Naples were 
ignorant of the art, until the conquest of Greece by Roger 1st; 
they also concealing their knowledge for a considerable length 
of time; its introduction into the rest of Italy, was extremely 
slow. 

Although, for a great length of time, silk in its raw state had 
been imported into England, and even so early as 1661, upwards 
of 40,000 individuals were engaged in its manufacture in Lon- 
don — and many years since, English silk was considered in Italy, 
more valuable than the Italian; nothing of importance was 
done towards the introduction of the worm there, until about ten 
years since. 

The cultivation of the silkworm, is a great source of revenue 
to France : from it 40,000,000 florins are calculated annually to 
be received. 

In Germany, several previous attempts had failed to render 
the cultivation ot the silk worm important, till during the past 
few years, great efforts have been made there, originating with 
the Agricultural Society of Bavaria. Prussia and Sweden, aleo, 
have not been idle. 9 



In this country, the raising- of the silk worm, occupied the at- 
tention of the first settlers of Virginia — rewards were oflcred to 
the successful cultivators, and fines demanded of all planters 
who should not raise a certain number of mulberry trees upon 
a given quantity of land. Thus was this rendered a source of 
considerable profit : and in 1664, we read of an mdividual having- 
70,000 mulberry trees growing- upon his lands. 

In the year 1735, the first silk was raised in Georgia: this 
was manufactured and sent to England as a present to the 
Queen. 

The culture of silk, was for along time attended to by the 
most distinguished ladies of South Carolina. Ramsey, in his 
history of that State, makes rnentionof a quantity of silk having 
been taken to England, by Mrs. Pinckney, manufactured by her- 
self, of which dresses were made for the Princess Dowager of 
Wales, and Lord Chesterfield 

As early as the year 1771, Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, com- 
menced the culture of silk: and although various causes fcir a 
time produced a suppression of this industry, a re-action has 
commenced and much will undouMedly be done there. 

The rearing of silk worms, and the manufacture of silk, has 
in a greater or less degree, claimed the attention of economists 
in New-Hampshire, Vermont, [Massachusetts, and within a short 
time, in Maine. 

But no oneof theNew-Engiand Sttaeshasbecn so successful 
in this employment, as Connecticut. In this last State, attention 
was first directed to the introduction of the silkworm in 1760. 
The town of Mansfield commenced the experiment ; and although 
the Revolution suspended it for a time, two hundred pounds 
weight of raw silk were made there, 3769. But instead of 
tracing the progress of this industry minutely, as was our in- 
tention when this article was commenced, its importance w-ill 
be shown with equal force by glancing at results in different 
periods. Thus, in 1827, Mansfield produced 2,430 pounds — and 
the County of Windham alone, in 1826, manufactured 54,000 
dollars worth of silk— although the proceeds of three counties 
from this branch, in 1810, amounted to less than 29,000 dollars' 

Letter from Europe, by Gen. James Tallmadge, 
President of the American Institute. 

Naples, March 5th, 1836. 
Since I arrived in this land of fame and fable, I have not been 
unmindful of the culture of silk, so jiistly a subject of great and 
growing interest to our country. I have visited several manu- 
factories of silk. It is not the season for seeing the silk worm,, 
but most ui its progress in other respects I have been able to see. 
1 have made ir^any inquiries in hopes of obtaining useful informa- 
tion. Finizio is an extensive manufacturer of sewing silk ; he 
makes about 3000 lbs. a week, which it. mostly sent to the New- 
York markr^. He is an i»->telligent mhu. and I found him willing- 



99 

to answer my inquiries; as also were several other establish- 
mentSj and which mostly confirmed his statement. The sewing 
silks of Naples are mostly made from the silk grown in Calabria, 
where the worm is fed principally upon the black mulberr}'', and 
which makes the strong-est and best for sewing silk. Finizio 
stated that the worm fed on the black mulberry made the strong-est 
thread ; that on the white mulberry, finer and better for fabrics ; 
that on the Chinese mulberry stitl finer and more delicate. When 
asked if the cocoon from the Chinese mulberry required more 
skilful and delicate work to wind and work it, he said it did, and 
immediately produced two skeins, one of which he said was from 
the black mulberry, (from a bush, perhaps, eig-ht or ten feet in 
circumference,) the other from a bush about four feet. The lesser 
bush, he said, was less liable to break the thread in winding from 
the cocoon, and was used in finer silks for fabrics. The black 
mulberry produced a stronger thread, and would bear the larger 
reel, and was principally used in that business. The silk here 
is mostly made in the country by families in detail, and much of 
it reeled there, and in this condition it is brought to market. For 
sewing silk it is doubled as often as required, and twisted as 
much. '1 his process is wholly in a dark roovi. The silk is worked 
•wet, and for this purpose, to preserve a uniformity, the atmo- 
sphere is kept damp, the day-light excluded, and the work carried 
on with small hand lamps. The machine was turned by men 
harnessed like mules I have since been out about twenty miles 
to the silk factory of the kintf, which is worked by water power, 
and by which the cocoons are also reeled. I stated to Finizio, as 
well as at the king's factory, that the Italian sewing silk was sold 
in the American 'markets by its weight, while the American sew- 
ing silk was sold by the skein ; and that one pound of the Italian 
would have perhaps two hundred and fifty skeins, while one of 
the American silk would have about three hundred and fifty 
skeins. The cause of this difference of weight, or why the 
American sewing silk has a tendency to curl or knot, they could 
not explain without a sample, but said the weight of sewing silk 
could be diminished or very considerably augmented in the 
dyeing, and that good dyeing required the silk to be well boiled 
in soap, after which, it was put into an acid, and was there pre- 
pared for the process of the dye, according to the color, as desired. 
The gloss, or dressing, seems to be produced by beating and 
twisting on a post, which, with the manual labor put upon its 
finish, it is supposed prevents its tendency to knot. 

I asked if the color of the cocoon, yellow or white, gave any 
difference of value, or indicated a sickly worm, and the answer 
was, that the color was casual, and the value the same ; that a 
selection from white or yellow cocoons from which to get eggs, 
would probably produce a like color ; and Mr. Finizio said he 
had some customers who had so selected and brought him co- 
coons entirely white ; and that for white ribbons or fabrics, they 
commanded a greater price of from three to five per cent, though 
otherwise of equal value. 



100 

I have made many other inquiries and observations on this 
subject, but which, in the limits of a letter, cannot be detailed. 
The eg-g-s are here in market during- most of the year, and by 
being- kept in a grotto, or cold damp place, the worm can be pro- 
duced as required. The sirocco, or hot south wind, is here the 
greatest enemy of the silk worm, and sometimes suddenly de- 
stroys so many of the worms, as to require the re-production of 
another class from eggs in reserve. They should be sheltered 
from this wind, and ventilation should be given them from above 
or by back windows. 1 think we have sometimes a little south, 
or southwest wind, which should be guarded against, and which 
our gardeners call a red wind, from a rust produced by it on 

f)each and apricot trees, which curls up and burns the young 
eaves, and often kills the trees, atid is said to affect the mulberry 
trees in like manner. 

The black mulberry tree is a native of our country, and is 
common in Dutchess county, especially in Fishkill. It is, on my 
farm a common tree. It is as valuabie for posts and timber as 
red cedar. If the suggestions of Mr Finizio, and others as to the 
black mulberry, are correct, as being better for sewing silk and 
more easily reeled, is not the matter worthy of attention 1 and 
especially in the first effort, and until skill and experience is ob- 
tained 7 The black mulberry can be immediately used, while 
a few years will be required to rear the Chinese, and obtain 
the silk for its more delicate work. 

As a new staple for the country, and a new article of produc- 
tion in common famiUes, the culture of silk will be an invaluable 
acquisition. I have made every observation in my power, and 
1 am fully convinced that the culture of silk will be found suita- 
ble to our climate, and well adapted to our country and people. 
Calabria, though south of Naples, is mountainous, and a much 
colder climate than ours. The Milan and Piedmontese silk, is 
the best; and is much sought after in the London market. 
Those districts are in the north of Italy, and near tb.e Alps. I 
think the production of the worm should be delayed until after 
the usual cold storm to be expected from the 15th to the 25th of 
May. Our month of June would be the most desirable as a first 
establishment for them. If families can be induced to the grow- 
ing of the cocoon, the women and children will soon produce as 
much from the mnll:>erry trees about the house along the fenees, 
as the father can make on the clear profit of his farm. Ther- 
mometers or fires are not much used in Italy, the season giving 
the temperature required. The business must be simplified, 
and freed from too much instruction, to secure its success with 
us. The difficulty to extract reasons cr information from the 
common people on the continent, is so evident, and they so es- 
sentially differ from our American people in their aptitude to 
give reasons and explanations, that I say — do not seek or re- 
ceive too much European instruction, but rely on the produci- 
ble common sense of our people ; this fund will not fail or be 
insufficient, and, with a little experience, I am sure of success 



101 

in the culture of silk in our country. Induce to the growing" of 
the cocoons and the object will be accomplished. It is a very 
simple business. I shall continue my observations on this im- 
portant and interesting- subject, to my tour through France ; 
but if our American merchants and dealers in silks from Italy 
and France, could be induced to introduce the culture of silk, 
and obtain from time to time information from their correspond- 
ents, they would be a host of strength in the business. 1 have 
found the operatives here rather a prejudiced and uncertain 
source for information. They work, but cannot tell the why 
or wherefore. 

Jin Act to Encourage the culture of Silk in the State 
of Maine^ imsseA 1836. 

Sect. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- 
sentatives in Legislature assembled, That for every pound of 
cocoons which shall be raised within this State, the person 
who shall raise or cause to be raised said cocoons, shall receive 
a bounty of five cents from the Treasurer of the town or plan- 
tation, wherein said cocoons shall be raised; and for every 
pound of silk which shall be reeled from cocoons raised in this 
State, the person who shall reel or cause the same to be reeled, 
shall receive from the Treasurer of the town or plantation in 
which the same shall be reeled, fifty cents. 

Sect. 2, Be it further enacted, That before any person 
shall be entitled to receive the bounties herein provided, he, 
she or they, shall prove to the satisfaction of the said Treasurer 
of the town or plantation in which such cocoons shall be raised, 
or silk reeled, that the same was raised or reeled by him, her 
or them, as the case may be, and the person so presenting the 
same to the said Treasurer for the purpose of receiving said 
bounty, shall make oath or affirmation, that no bounty had been 
received by any person for the cocoons or silk so presented for 
a bounty. 

Sect. 3. Be it further enacted, That the Treasurer of the 
several towns and plantations may keep an account of the 
money by them paid out by virtue of this Act, and present the 
same, verified by their oath or affirmation, to the Legistature 
for allowance, and the Legislature after being satisfied of the 
correctness of such account, shall allow the same, and authorize 
the payment thereof from the Treasury of the State. 

An Act for the encouragement of the culture of Silk in 
the State of J^Iassa-husctts, passed 1836. 

Be it enacted, &c. as follows: — Sect. 1. There shall be 
allowed and paid out of the Treasury of the Commonwealth 
9* 



102 

for every ten pounds weight of cocoons of silk, the produce 
of silk worms raised within this Commonwealth, the sum of 
one dollar, and in the same proportion for any larger quantity 
of cocoons, to be paid to the owner of such worms, or his legal 
representatives. 

Sect 2. There shall be allowed and paid out of the Trea^ 
sury of the Commonwealth, to every person who shall reel or 
cause to be reeled, and to every person who shall throw or 
cause to be thrown in this Commonwealth from cocoons, pro- 
duced from silk worms raised in this Commonwealth, a mer- 
chantable silk, capable of being manufactured into various 
silk fabrics, or to the legal representatives of such person, one 
dollar for every pound of silk, reeled without being thrown. 

Sect. 3, When satisfactory evidence by the oath of the 
party or otherwise, shall be exhibited to the Selectmen of any 
town in this Commonwealth, that any person being an inhabi- 
tant of such town, is entitled to claim the bounty or bounties 
provided for in the first and second sections of this act, they 
shall give a certificate thereof in writing under their hands,, 
stating the quantity of cocoons produced, or of silk reeled or 
thrown, conformably to the provisions of said sections, and 
that such claimant is entitled to the bounty or bounties therein 
allowed, and when such certificates have been filed in the 
office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Governor, 
with the advice of the Council, is hereby authorized to draw 
his warrant on the Treasurer therefor. 

Sect. 4. If any person shall claim abounty more than once 
for the same cocoons, or silk so reeled or thrown, or obtain any 
bounty under this act through fraud or deception, such person 
shall forfeit to the use of the Commonwealth, a sum not more 
than one hundred dollars, in addition to the amount of any 
bounty he may have received, to be recovered by indictment 
in any court proper to try the same. 

Sect. 5. This act shall take effect in thirty days from the 
time of passing the same, and continue in force during the 
term of seven years from the tirpe of its going into operation, 
and an act entitled "An Act to encourage the reeling and 
throwing of Silk," passed the seventh day of April, in the year 
one thousand eight hundred and thirty-five, be and the same 
hereby is repealed, but nothing herein contained shall affect the 
right of any person entitled to any premium under the said act. 
Sect. 6. The provisions of this act shall not apply to 
bodies politic and corporate. 



103 

^n Act to encourage the culture of Silk in the State 
of JVeiv- Jersey^ passed 1836. 

Sect. 1. Be it enacted by the Council and General As- 
sembly of this State, and it is hereby enacted by the authority 
of the same, That for every ten pounds, or larger quantity, of 
cocoons of silk, the produce of worms raised in this State, 
during the term of five years from the passage of this act, there 
shall be paid out of the Treasury of the State, the sum of 
fifteen cents per pound. 

Sect. 2. And be it enacted. That when satisfactory evi- 
dence, by the oath of the party or otherwise, shall be exhibited 
to the township committee of any township in this State, that 
any person or persons, being inhabitants of such township, are 
entitled to claim the premium provided for in the first section 
of this act, they shall give him, her, or them, a certificate 
thereof in writing, under their hands, stating the number of 
pounds of cocoons produced by such person or persons, and 
that he, or she, or they are entitled to receive the premium 
therein allowed ; and when such certificate sh^ll have been 
filed in the ofiice of the Secretary of State, it is hereby made 
the duty of the Governor to draw his warrant on the Treasurer 
in favor of such claimant or claimants, or their legal represent- 
atives, for the amount of the premium due, according to the 
provisions of this act. 

Sect. 3 And be it enacted, That if any person shall 
claim a premium more than once upon the same cocoons, 
or shall obtain any premium under this act by fraud or decep- 
tion, such persons shall forfeit to the use of the State, the sum 
of one hundred dollars, to be sued for and recovered by action 
of debt, in the name of the State, in any court of competent 
jurisdiction. 

Sect. 4. And be it enacted, That the provisions of this 
act shall not apply to bodies politic or corporate. 

A71 Act to encourage the growth and manufacture of 
Silk in the State of Connecticut, passed 1832. 

Sect. 1. Be it enacted, by the Senate and House of Re- 
presentatives, in General Assembly convened. That whoever 
shall transplant one hundred white mulberry trees or the Chi- 
nese mulberry, or morus multicaulis, of three or more years' 
growth, on his, her, or their land, within this State, adapted 
to the growth and cultivation of the same, at such distances 
from each other as will best favor their full growth, and the 
collection of their leaves, shall receive at the end of two years 



104 

tidxl after sakl trees shall have been transplanted as aforesaid, 
one dollar, and in the same proportion for a greater number 
transplanted as aforesaid, upon proof and certificate thereof, 
and that such trees were, at the end of said two years after 
transplanting as aforesaid, in a healthy and growing condition. 
Sect. 2. That whoever shall reel, or cause to be reeled, 
in this State, in the present improved method of reeling silk, 
from the cocoons, merchantable silk, capable of being manu- 
factured into the various silk fabrics, shall have and receive, 
upon proof and certificate, fifty cents for every pound of silk 
so reeled as aforesaid. 

Act of Vermont, passed 1835. 

It is hereby enacted, &c., That the Treasurer of this State 
be, as he hereby is, authorized and directed to pay out of the 
Treasury of the State, the sum of ten cents for each pound of 
cocoons hereafter raised or grown within this State, as a bonus 
or premium to the person or persons raising the same. 

Sect. 2. That before any person shall be entitled to receive 
the bounty as provided in the foregoing section, he, she, or 
they, shall prove to the satisfaction of the town clerk of the 
town in which such person resides, that the same was raised 
by him, she or them, within such town, and the same shall be 
exhibited and weighed in the presence of such town clerk, 
who is hereby authorized and empowered to examine such 
person or persons on oath, in relation to the same, and if such 
town clerk shall be fully satisfied that the same applicant or 
applicants, did raise and produce the cocoons so oflTered within 
the said town, such town clerk shall thereupon give to such 
person or persons a certificate of the following tenor : 
STATE OF VERMONT. 
(Town) (Date) 

County, ss. ^ 

Then personally appeared before me and 

exhibited pounds of cocoon*, and made satisfactory proof 

before me that the same were raised by the said 
within the town of in said county, the present 

(or past) year, and that the same or any part thereof have 
never before been presented or ofiered for the purpose of ob- 
taining the premium thereon as allowed by law. 

Toicn Clerk. 

Which certificate the said Treasurer is hereby authorized to 
receive and account for as herein before directed. 



105 

An act to promote the culture of Silk in the State of 

Georgia, passed 1838. 

Whereas it is desirable that the culture of silk should be en- 
couraged within the limits of this State. 

Be it therefore enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- 
sentatives of the State of Georgia, in General Assembly met, 
and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same. That 
from and after the passage of this act, whenever any person 
or persons, either individually or collectively, shall raise any 
silk within the limits of tkis State, he, she, or they, shall be 
entitled to draw from the State Treasury, a premium of fifty 
cents, for each and every pound of cocoons, so by him, her, 
or them raised, and ten cents per pound on each pound of 
good silk, by him, her, or them, reeled from cocoons, so raised, 
and the person, or persons, so claiming the premium afore- 
said, shall first exhibit the cocoons reeled, and the silk reeled 
as aforesaid, to one of the Justices of the Peace, within the 
County where the same shall have been raised, and the said 
Justice shall thereupon examine the person or persons claiming 
the premium as aforesaid, upon his, her, or their oath, or legal 
affirmation, and shall require the party so claiming the premi- 
ums, to swear or affirm that the cocoons were raised in the 
State of Georgia, after the passage of this act, that the pre- 
mium has not before been claimed by, or paid to any other 
person for said cocoons or silk; and in relation to all other 
facts and circumstances, as may, in the opinion of said Justice, 
be connected with the raising or reeling of the same ; and up- 
on such evidence proving satisfactory to his mind, he shall 
thereupon make out and sign a certificate with his seal thereto 
affixed, which certificate shall be sufficient authority to his 
Excellency the Governor, and he is hereby required to receive 
in his department the same, to draw his warrant upon the 
State Treasury, in favor of the party to whom said certificate 
is granted, for the amount of said premium, as per said certifi- 
cate, to be paid out of any money not otherwise appropriated. 
This act shall be and continue in full force and eflect, for and 
during the term of ten years, from and after its first passage. 
All laws and parts of laws repugnant to this act, be, and the 
same is hereby repealed. 

Pennsylvania. 

On the 2d of April last, a law was passed by the Legislature 
for the encouragement of the culture and manufacture of 
silk, which provided that a premium should be paid by the 
State of 20 cents for every pound of cocoons raised, and 60 
cents for every pound of silk reeled. 



106 

Delaware. 

An act has passed the Legislature of Delaware, allowing a 
premium of fifteen cents per pouud, for cocoons raised in the 
State, and fifty cents per pound for raw silk reeled from such 
cocoons. The law is to continue for four years, and incorpo- 
rated silk companies are to be excluded from its benefits. 



From the Ladies' Magazine. 
The Silk "IVorm. 

There is no form upon our earth, 
That bears the mighty Maker's seal, 

But has some charm — to draw this forth, 
We need but hearts to feel. 

I saw a fair young girl — her face 

Was sweet as dream of cherished friend — 
Just at the age when childhood's grace 
And maiden softness blend. 

A silk worm in her hand she laid. 
Nor fear, nor yet disgust was stirred ; 

But gaily with her charge she played, 
As 't were a nestling bird. 

She raised it to her dimpled cheek, , 

And let it rest and revel there — 
O, why for outward beauty seek ! 

Love makes its favorite fair. 

That worm — I should have shrunk, in truth, 

To feel the reptile o'er me move, 
But loved by innocence and youth, 

1 deemed it worthy love. 

Would we, r thought, the soul imbue, 

In early life, with sympathies 
For every harmless thing, and view 

Such creatures formed to please : 

And when with usefulness combined, 
Give them our love and gentle care — 

O, we might have a world as kind, 
As Qod has made it fair ! 



107 



Exhibit of the value of Silks, Imported and Exported, 
from 1821 to 1837 inclusive. 



Year. 


Imported. 


Exported. 


Year. 


Imported. 


Exported. 


1821 


$4,486,924 


$1,057,243 


1830 


$•5,932,243 


$1,061,0.54 


1822 


6,840,928 


1,016,262 


1831 


11,117,946 


1,186,129 


1823 


6,718,444 


1,512.449 


1832 


9.248,907 


1,337,073 


1824 


7,204,588 


1.816,325 


1833 


9.498,366 


1,332,872 


1825 


10,299,743 


2,590,381 


1834 


10,993.964 


1,036,057 


1S26 


8,327,909 


3,357.013 


1833 


16,677..547 


758,900 


1827 


6,712,015 


1,871.276 


1836 


22.980.212 


762,730 


1828 


7,686,640 


1,270,461 


1837 


14,352,823 


1,207,802 


1829 


7,192,698 


95S,9'25 









Trbasxjby Department, 

Register's Office, Aug. 31, 1S38. 



T. L. SMITH, Register. 



JMidberry Trees and Silk Worms^ Eggs, 

The subscriber, having cultivated mulberry trees for a number 
of years past, and having procured the best varieties for the pro- 
duction of silk, is nowprepared to contract to deliver Multicaulis, 
and other kinds of mulberry trees, in the autumn of 1839, or at 
any period after that time that the purchaser may designate. 
The trees will be equal to any in the market, and the terms of 
payment made easy upon good security. 

1 have also fed silk worms for a number of years, and procured 
the best kinds, — I should like to contract to deliver eggs of the 
best varieties in the fall of 1839, or at any period afterlhat time. 
The eggs will be forwarded to purchasers and the terms of pay- 
ment made easy. Please to direct orders, post paid, to 

JONATHAN DENMS, Jr., 

Portsmouth, Rhode Island. 



TO MANUFACTURERS AND WEAVERS. 

PATENT REACTING, SELF-ADJUSTING TEMPLES. 

The subscriber having obtained Letters Patent for the React- 
ing Self-adjusting Temple, is now prepared to receive orders 
from manufacturers and others for the same ; and is also ready 
to sell State, County, and Town rights. These Temples are 
acknowledged by the best manufacturers to be superior to any 
that have heretofore been oftered to tiie public. They are so, 
constructed, that if the shuttle stops between the temple and the 
reed, the temple will be pressed back by the shuttle,|without injury 
to the temple, shuttle, or reed. This is one of the many advan- 
tages they possess over any other temples heretofore used. Those 
wishing temples, or rights, will address, post paid, 

JONATHAN DENNIS, Jr., 

Portsmouth, Rhode Island, 






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